Back To Where I've Never Been

Part 7

My apprehension must be showing on my face because when the car comes to a stop outside the hanger entrance, grandmother stops me from exiting. She motions for Oliver, who I have worked out is the First secretary, Kenya's boss, to leave. After he and the driver have exited, she turns to me, her face serious.

"I know this is going to be an adjustment for you. It will be a change for all of us. I have long since thought my daughter dead, we held a memorial service for her three years ago." I feel like I'm being punched in the gut with that revelation. My first thought is I'm glad mom isn't here to see that her family gave up on her, but I shove that thought away violently, I probably would need to have some closure too, if I lost mom for so long with no leads.

"I'm not saying that to be callous, on the contrary I want you to know what a miracle you are. What a gift, a precious gift. My daughter is lost to me, and though I am so very sad I was not here to see her before she left, I am grateful to her for leaving me one last gift. She left a part of herself, you are her legacy and we are so lucky to have you." She doesn't even take out that damn handkerchief, just lets the tears flow as she continues,

"I feel though, I should warn you. The Rodenheim women are strong, you will see soon enough but I am not remiss in saying that my twin and I run our families as we run our businesses, with complete control." I gulp, not really liking where this is going

"Family comes first for our clan, we are very close and now that you are here I feel we will be more complete than we have been since your mother was taken from us. Just as my sister and I are strong, so are our sons. They will not bully you but they will coddle you. You are our lost princess, the only female heir, the last of our line. I know you have known a great deal of independence growing up. I did not have the privilege of watching my daughter grow and I can only imagine how different she must have been with her memory loss but if she retained anything of her former personality, then she probably was a very bright and forgetful mother." I smile, seems like mom hadn't really changed since her ten-year-old self. It's actually just short of astonishing, that she retained such similar personality traits and mannerisms as the girl she was before she lost her memory, and carried them into her adult life.

"I can see that I am right in my assessment, then it is good that I warned you. My sister and I will try to give you your space, and I can guarantee our husbands will follow us but our sons..." She trails off, looking slightly exasperated, which raises all sorts of red flags. She mentioned coddling earlier, but just how pushy was she expecting? Then I remember the way Collin sort of bulldozed in and manipulated me into following him. And how Camden looked like he wanted to lock me in a tower somewhere. I shudder, if my cousins are like that, what will my uncles be like?

"I can see you are already catching my meaning. Your cousins will seem like fly with the wind hippies compared to your uncles. The twins are very protective and have always wanted a sister. They used to dress Ben up in dresses when he was small. I have the blackmail to prove it." As much as this conversation is giving me anxiety, I find it in me to share a wicked smile with my grandmother, who chuckles.

"I'm saving those for a rainy day. I might be convinced to show them to you if he annoys you too much." I laugh, I was beginning to really like my grandmother.

"How do you think Ben will react, he's not the baby anymore." I was already thinking of this. From what I've surmised, the family lets him get away with murder since he is the youngest. I'm hoping it won't be one of those cliché "you took my throne" sibling wars. I don't have the patience for petty games. To my surprise Grandmother laughs, like full on guffaws. The sound breaks all the walls I had built up between us, the tears I had been holding back stream down in an avalanche of emotions I can't seem to contain at that sound. For a moment, a brief moment but a clear and distinct one nonetheless, that sound echoed one I had heard thousands of times. The one that followed me in the hallways of that empty house, the one that has embedded itself in my heart, the sound I bring up in my memories often, terrified I would forget it. A rush of relief flows through me, cooling my apprehension and throwing me into an almost hysterical could of giddiness. I start giggling, but sober up when I see the look in grandmother's eyes.