Lonely Hearts

Chapter twenty-eight: Lincoln

I watched them, breathless for a moment. They were absolutely beautiful. I can't believe I had forgotten how beautiful they were.

That's what three years does, Lincoln. They're not the same girls you left behind.

But would they still love me the same way?

I paused, thinking carefully about my next move. Once I stepped around the corner, everything would change.

I looked back at Skye who smiled encouragingly.

"What's the matter?" She whispered.

"What if they don't want to see me?" I asked, their laughter floating up from behind me.

"They will." She said.

"How do you know?"

"Because once you've been in the Home, the only thing that matters is family." She replied.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me, I held her tight, savouring these last few moments of normality.

We broke apart and I took a deep breath before stepping around the corner. I watched them and waited for them to notice me.

Emma paused from spinning Max around and let go of her hands, so she tumbled to the ground.

"What was that for?" Max whined, picking herself up again and dusting herself off. She paused as she realized something had caught her sister's attention before turning towards me.

I was frozen as they watched me silently. Moments passed in hollow heartbeats as I wondered what they were going to do.

I kept my gaze on Emma. She didn't move, didn't speak, didn't blink.

I slowly stepped towards her, bridging the distance that had been between us for too long.

"Hi Emma."

Still she didn't move. I wanted to sweep her into my arms and never let her go again, but the pain in her eyes stopped me.

"Lincoln..." Max said, watching me with the look of a girl I almost didn't recognize. She had grown up so much. They both had.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked quietly, ignoring her.

I didn't reply. Didn't know how to reply.

"What are you doing here?" She repeated, louder this time.

"I...I'm not sure." I said, quietly.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"I needed to see you." I replied. This, at least, I could answer with the truth.

She was quiet, considering this answer.

"What took you so long?" She asked, her voice cracking.

I didn't respond. I didn't have a good enough answer, and she knew it.

"Lincoln." My sister said, struggling to get out of Emma's hold. "Emma, let me go. It's Lincoln. He came. Just like he said he would."

"I know." Emma said, looking down at her sister. "Let's go, Max."

"But it's Lincoln. You said he wouldn't come but he did. See? He kept his promise." Max pleaded.

"He did." My sister replied, and the disillusionment in her voice hurt more than her pain.

"He'll fix things." Max said. "He said so." 

"Will he?" Emma murmured.

She looked up at me and I realized that the question was directed to me.