Page 90 of Stolen Love

I nod. “Why bring me here? Why not just tell me that you’re my sister?”

“Would you have believed me?” She cuts through the tape.

Immediately pins and needles flood my feet. “Yes.”

“Don’t lie.” She stands. “I’m not an idiot. You couldn’t stand me when we first met. If you hadn’t forgotten everything that happened when Alec attacked you, you would never have given me a second chance. You wouldn’t have believed me if I told you I was your flesh and blood. Though I hinted about it enough.”

How many times did she talk about being like sisters? Or as close as sisters? Or just tell me how much she wished she had a sister? All those hints. I should have seen it. “I’m so sorry, Dizzy.”

“You believe me now. You won’t try to run. All is forgiven.”

I flinch when she grabs my arm and leads me toward the front door. I’m feeling stronger, almost like whatever Jackson gave me is wearing off. But I’m still leery of Dizzy. “Why bring me all the way here? To… this place?”

She opens the front door and shoves me inside the dark house before flipping on lights. The interior is silent and lifeless.

“Because it was our mother’s.” She moves into the living space and raises her hands. Twirling slowly in a circle, an almost peaceful look settles on her face. “Can’t you feel her? Feel her love? Can’t you feel how happy she is that her girls are together?”

“Dizzy…” I don’t feel it. Instead, tears prick my eyes. They clog my throat. I only have one memory of our mother and she seemed like an angel. I missed out on knowing the woman who would have raised me with love like she did Dizzy.

And Dizzy missed out on the love of our father, only knowing a monster instead.

I imagine a past where we were all one happy family. I imagine playing with Dizzy when we were little, and sharing make up and clothing as teens. We might have fought over boys, and maybe I wouldn’t have been so terrified to come out of my shell. Perhaps Dizzy wouldn’t be quite so… extra.

But that isn’t what happened. It’s not the life that we’ve lived. And my real mom is a stranger to me. One I will never get to know.

“Did you know our dad used to call her his sunshine? All my life she called me her sunshine. She said West and I were the only warmth in her world.” Her face falls and she walks to the windows. Throwing open the curtains, she stares out across the dark lawn. “She’s buried right there. Under those pink roses.”

The dust gets up my nose and makes me want to sneeze. I peer through the reflection of two girls so similar and yet different. Little lights are dotted along the pathway, casting enough glow to see the rambling hedge of dusky roses that run along the fence line.

“I moved her once I found out this place was real. Dug the hole myself. Planted the roses.” She nods determinedly. “She’s at peace here. Not like she would have been if she’d remained stuck eternally next to that animal.”

“Did Dad know she was here?”

“No, he didn’t. Richard is the one who brought me here. Before he died.” She wraps her arms around herself and rubs her hands up and down. “He bought the house when our grandparents died. Kept it. But it’s mine now. He gave it to me. He said I could have it.”

“Where’s home?” I ask.

“I told you.”

“Phoenix.” That’s where she always said her mom was. Somewhere in Phoenix. Arizona being the country where the sun always shone in Dizzy’s horrific fairytale. The same place our dad died. Because he came here for them. He was going to put our real family back together. That’s why he planned to divorce Nicole.

I touch the key at my throat. Perhaps that’s why he’s been haunting me. Trying to tell me about Dizzy. Or perhaps… “Do you know why I’ve been getting messages from him when he’s been gone for so long?”

“It wasn’t me.” She screws up her nose in concentration. “If that’s what you were hoping.”

Only because it would answer the question. “Did he leave anything for me here?”

Her gaze narrows on my fingers wrapped around the key. “There’s a safe. I haven’t been able to get into it. West would be able to, but… I wasn’t ready for him to know about this place.”

“Can you show me?” I start to shiver. I’m cold and there is a lingering smell from when I peed myself earlier. “Actually, is there any possibility I can get changed out of these clothes first? And then would you show me?”

“I have clothes.” She walks away from the window and takes the stairs to the next level, turning on lights as she goes. She shows me to a simple bedroom where she lays out an outfit for me.

“I’ll wait outside.” She walks out to the landing and closes the door.

I’m finally alone, and it’s the first time I’m able to breathe since before the memorial. Was that only hours ago? It feels like so much longer. I strip out of my soiled garments and dress in the clothes Dizzy has provided before joining her on the landing. “Show me the safe.”

“This way.” She starts to climb the stairs that lead to the attic.

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