Chapter Fifty-Six
Allie
I settle onto thecouch next to Landon as Shelly hands Mom a glass of water.
The last few hours have gone by in the blink of an eye.
As soon as I got in Landon’s truck after sending a knife flying into Harrison’s neck, I broke down.
My mom is alive.
I have a sister.
Harrison was Mike’s son.
All I wanted to do was ask her a million and one questions, but Landon convinced me to go take a shower and allow Logan to get back from the ER, since she would want to be here while Mom explained everything.
I may not have said it, but he was right. I needed to wash the day away and sit with her for a moment before she revealed the truth.
Grayson places a pillow under Logan’s broken ankle while Willow rests her head on her lap as Landon drapes a blanket over her lap.
“Thank you, Shelly, but please stop fawning over me and rest,” Mom says, drawing our attention to her.
Shelly waves her hand, dismissing her. “No need to thank me. I will be in the kitchen finishing up dinner.”
Noah walks in from the back with a blanket and drapes it over Mom’s lap before making his way back downstairs.
“Before I say anything, I want to apologize to both of you,” Mom says, grabbing all attention.
“I know what you are all thinking. How have I been alive this entire time, and this is the first time you are seeing me? Well, long story short, I didn’t know who I was until a month ago when my memories came flooding back.”
My eyes go wide and I stare at her in shock.
“There was no explanation as to why I lost my memories. The doctors were stumped. I spent a few months in the hospital recovering from my injuries. Then they sent me to an assisted living facility where I went through physical therapy. When Mike thought he killed me, he actually just severed my spine and drained me of enough blood to the point I passed out.
“Harrison dumped us in the woods. I wasn’t dead then, but I thought I was when I could barely move. Exhaustion hit soon after, and that was the last thing I remembered. I woke up in a hospital, not knowing who or where I was, and I stayed like that for over a year. The doctors and therapist worked hard to get me to the point I am today, but there was a point where we didn’t think I would ever regain my memories.”
I lean my head onto Landon’s shoulder as I fight the tears that threaten to fall. She was all alone for a year, not knowing who she was. I can’t even imagine what pain and hurt she had to survive to get to this point.
Taking a deep breath and a sip of her coffee, she continues. “One day, we were all in the common room and the news was playing. Every day they show faces of the people missing all overthe US and Canada. Normally I didn’t pay attention, but that day I did. They showed a picture of a girl in her early thirties and instantly I was hit with a slideshow of memories. Everything came flooding back, and I broke down.” She pauses to clear the emotion from her throat. “The missing person was Sutton. She was the reason all my memories came back.”
Quiet sobs sound through the room as tears stream down Mom’s face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about her Allie. We never wanted you to feel anything other than love, and I think we were successful.”
“You were. You and Dad were the best parents I could have ever asked for, but why keep this secret?” I say, my voice cracking.
“Because we were young. I got pregnant when I was sixteen. Your father and I knew we weren’t able to give that baby the life she deserved, so we placed her up for adoption. She was adopted by a beautiful couple in Calgary and we kept in touch with them her entire life. I don’t regret our decision for a single second. The only thing I regret is not telling you sooner, and I’m sorry for that.”
I have a sister. One that isn’t much older than me, but living her own version of hell all because some guy with a sick agenda couldn’t just ruin one person’s life. He had to ruin dozens.
On the other side of Landon, Logan speaks up. “I’m sorry, Stella.”
“No ma’am. You do not get to apologize. This is not your fault. This is no one’s fault other than the two men that are no longer on this earth.” Mom’s gaze bounces back and forth between Logan and I. “Both of you. This is not your fault. Got it?”
We both nod and let silence fill the space as we all try to process everything. My mom is alive and is here, sitting in front of me. She really is here.
“Mom, how did you find us and where is Dad?” I ask, wanting to know everything so when I lay awake unable to sleep tonight, I know I will have all the answers to what twisted turn of fate my life is at the moment.
“He was gone the moment thatmandrained the life from him. The moment my memories returned, I tried to find both of you. The facility was able to get me in contact with the police department, who said they sent your father’s ashes to his only living relative, Uncle Nick. You and I were considered missing, so they had no other choice. I searched high and low for you and almost started losing hope when a gentleman named Wesley came to see me.”