Finding Out After Eight Years

Chapter One

The sun rays were beaming off her skin as she laid on the beach, grateful to be tanning before going back to the cool Autumn of Melbourne, where her red polka dot bikini wouldn't get much use for at least the next six months.

"Hey, you want something to drink?" Josh asked causing Emily to have to look up from her book 'Unbecoming by Jenny Downham'. "Sure, I'll come with you," She said placing her bookmark on page 183 and standing up from where she was laying on her towel next to Josh. They headed past Josh's Parents and sister and walked up the crowded beach of Surfers Paradise. "Okay, coffees and frozen cokes yeah?" Emily asked and Josh nodded grabbing her hand and heading into McDonald's. The line was almost out to the door, the same as the other restaurants and fast food places near the beach on a day with heat like this one.

Emily took in the crowds as she waited to be served, she turned and fidgeted her body admitting to take in all the people around her as she always had since she was very young, trying to find that face that was never there.

Once she and Josh finally reached the counter; she turned around as he placed their order. "Do you want anything else babe?" Josh grabbed her attention or so he thought; it didn't last.

As he asked Emily if she wanted anything else a young woman had stopped outside the McDonalds and Emily was fixated on her, she'd stopped in front of one of the metal tables with a little boy; the woman was going through her bag, she eventually pulled out a tube of sunscreen and applied it to the little boy's arms.

"Em, you O-" But before Josh could even finish his sentence, Emily had already let go of his hand and was pushing through the lines of people trying to make her way outside.

The young women held the little boy's hand, standing at the crossing between the beach and the hub of Surfers Paradise. The walking light turned green as Emily had run out and yelled "Scarlet, Scarlet" She kept running until she was close enough to grab the women's arm, spinning her around.

Emily was face to face with the sister she hadn't since in eight years. Her hair was styled in beach waves, the same colour as Emily's strawberry blonde but was slightly lighter due to the sun, her green eyes bright and sparkling, her shape curvy than she had been and sun-kissed skin in her short folwing yellow sundress. 

"Look I don't know who you think I am but I'm not" the young woman spoke as she turned around making her way down to the beach. Josh was now next to Emily but it wasn't long till she ran off again catching up to the women and Josh was right behind her. "Scarlet, Scarlet I'm sure it's you! It's me, Emily! Your sister!" She yelled with tears in her eyes while the women walked up to the beach still holding the little boys hand.

Josh come running up to Emily seeing how distort this person was making her, he grabbed her in his arms forcing her to stop, the tears fell down her cheeks then, she kept murmuring "Its her, Its her". Josh kissed her forehead and hugged her tight before letting her go and heading off to track down the women.

He found her sitting down on a pale blue towel looking quite white in the face, with the little boy next to her playing with the sand.

"Excuse me, hi I'm Josh. I'm sorry to disturb you but the girl who mistaken you for someone else before, well I was just hoping you could talk to her a minute and just reassure her that you are not who she thinks you are, she is a bit distressed" Josh said kneeling down. "Um...sure...okay," the women said standing up slowly. "Andrew, come with me for a second" she added taking the boys hand again and walking behind Josh who was leading the way back to Emily.

"Emily? I'm sorry I-" the women begin, "I'm sorry I left and didn't say goodbye" she continued with tears building up in her eyes, she took a deep breath before embracing her little sister.