Page 263 of Sin Bin

Meadow spent saturday morning volunteering at a local nonprofit adoption center. Working with foster children always brought her such joy and gave her a sense of purpose like nothing else.

She was in good spirits when she returned to Logan’s penthouse. She couldn’t wait to see him again. The Rebels were playing game four tonight and flying back home immediately afterward. She really hoped they’d win and close out the series in the next game.

Stepping through the front door, she tossed her keys on the foyer table, kicked off her shoes and padded barefoot to the gleaming kitchen. The massive refrigerator was stocked with bottled water, sports drinks, beetroot juice and craft beer. There was no soda. Though Logan indulged in alcohol, he avoided soda and other caffeinated beverages. He drank mostly water and those godawful protein shakes concocted by the team nutritionist.

Although Meadow hadn’t acquired a taste for the gag-worthy drinks, she was making a concerted effort to eat healthier and get in better shape. Dating a prime physical specimen made her want to step up her game.

She grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the master bedroom to change into her workout clothes. There was a spin class starting soon at the fitness center downstairs. She could make it if she hurried.

After that she’d have to find something to occupy her time until Logan came home. Aunt Rosalie and Cam were attending an out of town hockey tournament. Bianca and Nadia were away on business. Scarlett had a band gig in Albuquerque and Jess was doing stuff with her mom. So Meadow was on her own today.

Dressed in her workout clothes, she headed out of the room. When her phone rang in her hand, she paused and looked at the screen. She didn’t recognize the number, but the Las Vegas area code made her think she might know the caller.

“Hello?” she answered cautiously.

“Hello,” said a woman’s unfamiliar voice. “Is this Meadow?”

“Yes.”

There was a long pause.

“Hey, baby girl,” the woman said warmly. “It’s so good to hear your voice.”

The hair on the back of Meadow’s neck lifted. “Who is this?”

“You probably don’t remember me. This is your aunt Everly. I’m your mother’s baby sister.”

Her words punched the air out of Meadow’s lungs. She swayed as the floor seemed to tilt beneath her feet.

“Meadow?”

She was so shocked she could barely speak. “H-How did you get my number?” she said in a choked whisper.

The woman evaded the question. “It’s been a long time.”

With her legs threatening to buckle, Meadow leaned against the wall beside the bedroom door. “Why are you calling me? What do you want?”

“I wanted to talk to you.” Everly’s voice quieted. “I’ve been hoping to reconnect with you for a very long time.”

Meadow felt the twinge of a long-buried memory rushing back to the surface of her mind. She saw herself waking up in a hospital bed with a bandaged temple. There was a woman sitting by her bedside, tears streaming down her face. Someday you’ll understand…Be a good girl and do what you’re told….

“It was you,” Meadow breathed as the memory became clearer, like an exhumed skeleton. “You left me at the hospital that day. You told me I was going to a new home because you couldn’t take care of me. Then you kissed me goodbye and walked out of the room.”

There was a startled beat of silence. “You remember that?”

“I didn’t. Not until just now. Hearing your voice…” Meadow rubbed her temple with trembling fingers, her mind buzzing with more images. A gray-haired doctor in a lab coat…nurses hovering with sympathetic frowns…a middle-aged Hispanic woman with the world-weary expression of a social worker who’d seen her share of horrors.

Her aunt resumed speaking. “I had a friend who worked for DFS. So I was able to keep track of you for a while to see how you were doing—”

“As if you cared,” Meadow said bitterly.

“I did care!” her aunt insisted. “A few years ago I tried to find you again, but it was like you’d disappeared off the face of the earth! It was only when I saw your pictures online that I was able to track you down through social media.” Her voice softened, but her next words sent a chill through every corner of Meadow’s body. “I know you’ve been hiding from us. You’ve covered your tracks well.”

“Not well enough, apparently.” Meadow’s lips trembled as she bit out the words. “You shouldn’t have called me. I didn’t want to be found.”

“I know. And I don’t blame you.” Her aunt paused mournfully. “Your grandparents passed away a long time ago.”

Meadow said nothing. She didn’t remember her grandparents. They were strangers to her. Strangers who hadn’t wanted her.

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