Cora POV:
We arrived in Hawaii at around 3:00 in the afternoon. As soon as we touched down, I could tell that this place was incredibly beautiful. From the air deck, I could see many tall mountains covered in bright green lush- a vast difference from the city life of LA. Once we were given the okay by the pilot, I got up out of my seat and walked over to Clara's.
"Is she asleep?" I asked Mer, smiling down at her.
"Out cold," she replied.
I laughed silently, stretching out my arms and rustling her shoulder softly.
"Clara, we're here," I said.
"Hmm?" She whined.
"We're in Hawaii," Mom added happily.
Clara's eyes fluttered open and closed before finally getting used to the light. She nuzzled into Mom's side before leaning up to look out the window.
"It's really pretty," she smiled.
"It's beautiful," I confirmed.
"You girls ready to get a move on?" Amelia laughed. "I'm ready for some pool time!"
"Amelia, we're in Hawaii and you want to go to the pool?" Mer asked, amused.
"I go to the beach at least every week. Why not see the pool?" She replied.
"You haven't seen this beach," Mom refuted.
"Clara, the water is super blue here," I smiled down at her.
"How blue?" She asked.
"Like how you've always painted it," I winked.
"We should go to the beach!" Clara announced.
"Oh, we're definitely going to the beach," Mer laughed.
"Then let's go!" Amy said, grabbing her purse and walking towards the exit of the plane, the rest of us following behind her.
I stepped onto the stairs leading out of the plane, immediately feeling the cooling breeze take my hair. Once I stepped down onto the pavement, I turned back towards the stairs to take Clara's hands, helping her to get off the plane safely.
Ever since the night she was taken, I have been afraid to let her go. The fact that I wasn't there to protect her was steadily eating away at me. The only times when the weight rose off my chest was when she was here at my side.
However, the realization also helped me to understand just how grateful I was to Addison: not only for all of the things she's done for me alone but also for Clara. In the early days of Clara moving out of Joanna's, I missed her terribly. I missed her at night when I looked at her empty bed and at her paintings that lined the wall. I always thought about her. But, unlike with my other siblings who had been moved to new placements, I never felt the feeling of worry about Clara.
Sure, I was always nervous about her settling into a new environment, but I never worried about her well-being. After meeting Addison, I was sure that she was loved. Addison never left me in the dark. She let me see her and talk to her whenever I wanted. And, eventually, she took me in as well. I really was blessed that she had come into our lives, and I didn't quite know how to thank her.
Once the rest of the family had exited the plane, the flight attendant helped us to unload our suitcases. While Mom was helping to bring the bags out of the luggage hatch, Amelia and I began loading them into the car.
"Are you really more excited to go to the pool than to a Hawaii beach?" I asked playfully.
"No," she laughed, looking at me. "I'm just messing with them. It's part of my sisterly duties."
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Through Love Alone
FanfictionAlmost every element of Addison Montgomery's life revolves around children. She works as a doctor, saving the lives of mothers and infants. She has many close friends, all with kids. However, she wants more. She desperately wants to be a mother. Ad...
