After (Wolves of Mercy Falls Fan Fic)

Chapter 14

Dad and the woman on the phone had discussed where we would be meeting and what time so about 9 am, Dad woke Lila and I up to start getting ready. He wanted to make sure Lila could get at least some packing done before we met up at noon. I helped Lila stuff all her clothes in to a big suitcase and all her books into a bigger one.

Around 10 am, I left to get dressed and to let Lila get ready. She ended up wearing one of her favorite white dresses. Afterward, Dad and I loaded the car and we left. Mom and Scarlet stayed home. I sat in the back seat with Lila, just playing with her hair or holding her hand. We had to go all the way to Duluth to meet Lila's sister. I didn't really understand why if they had Mercy Falls area codes and Emily was last seen in Mercy Falls.

We went to a small office and waited in an outdoor area where people must eat lunch on their breaks. I assumed she worked there. I could feel my heart beating every time a woman came into the area, but the one we were looking for didn't come up to us until 12:45.

"Sam?" Dad stood to shake the hand of a woman only a few years older than I. She had long blonde hair like Lila's and was as tall as Dad. "I'm sorry I'm late, my boss had a meeting and it took longer than expected. This must be your son and..." she stopped and covered her mouth when she saw Lila. "It's really true..." she whispered. She reached out and touched Lila's cheek. "We thought you were dead. For four years we thought that." A tear rolled down her cheek. Lila stood and hugged her.

"Why didn't you call the police when you found her? Or tried to get a hold of her family?" The woman questioned.

"We tried, trust me, we tried. We had reason to believe she was an orphan and she had no way to tell us otherwise," Dad said. He was in lawyer mode.

"She was with you this whole time?" She asked.

I nodded. "I found her in the woods behind our house June four years ago." I smiled slightly. "It was my birthday."

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Koby."

"Thank you so much for taking care of Emily. I don't know if your dad told you, but I'm Rose, Emily's older sister. I understand you two are close." I nodded again and glanced at Lila. She was already looking at me, but her arms were still wrapped around Rose.

Rose glanced at the time and sighed, "I have to get home soon if I want to get dinner done in time. I don't know how to thank you enough. I really don't." She turned to Lila, "Are you ready to go home?" Lila broke away immediately and stepped back. I didn't really know why, but Rose did. "Don't worry, Henry and I got an apartment a year ago, there enough room for all of us. We never have to go back."

Lila blinked and nodded a little, looking down at the table. Now I was confused. One, who was Henry? Two, go back to where? Where Lila first came from?

"Lila's mute by the way. She was mute when we met her," I stated. Rose didn't even blink.

"She was mute a year before she went missing. Did you call her that?"

"Call her what?"

"Lila. It's pretty."

Lila and I both smiled at our little joke. I had named her like she was a pet. Lila sat down next to me and hugged me again. She hugged Dad too.

Dad, Rose and I loaded Lila's things into Rose's car. Lila tried to help, but she couldn't carry much. I held her tight for a five more minutes before I had to say goodbye. I felt like I'd never see her again.