Plum Blossom | Completed

Chapter Twenty

The next few days had been manic for Mellisa. She had made it her priority to talk to her therapist. She had recommended doing a genetic profile on Amanda.

"She's still too young to show any symptoms. But you ay be able to still identify genetic markers. It is also possible that her reactions have been a product of her environment. Change her surroundings. Make sure she is in a safe, happy setting. That could change her perspective significantly," Mellisa had been told, and she had made it a point to be very involved in Amanda's life, having honest conversations with her daughter.

Talking to the two-year-old had made Mellisa face many harsh realities in her life. She found that she couldn't hide her fears. Her daughter's innocent curiosity had Mellisa spilling thoughts that she had locked into the deepest corners of her brain, but, of course, in a way that would make sense to a toddler.

She had to agree that it was quite liberating. It had also given her the strength to meet Mrs. Adams. They had met a week after the call, just the two of them. Mellisa had made it to the reclusive café that Mrs. Adams had suggested without much effort. She was still nervous, but Mrs. Adams had been considerate to Mellisa in her choice of location.

Mellisa had spotted Mrs. Adams immediately. The elegant woman stood out like a sore thumb in the dingy little café.

"I almost expected you not to show up," Mrs. Adams had said in greeting.

"I almost didn't," Mellisa confessed.

"Well, I'm glad you did. Thank you for meeting me." They sat down but Mellisa continued to look around.

"This is quite an interesting choice, to meet here."

"I don't seem like the kind of person to visit such places?" Mrs. Adams asked, raising an eyebrow at Mellisa.

"You're right. I'm sorry. It was unkind of me to judge you like that," Mellisa apologized sincerely.

"Your mannerisms are so much like your mother's," Mrs. Adam's smiled.

"You knew my mother?"

"Let's not pretend that you haven't figured out who I am, Mellisa. That would be an insult to both our intelligence levels. But I'll play along, if that's what you'd prefer... Hello Mellisa, my name is Eleanor Adams and you are my granddaughter, my deceased son's only daughter." Mellissa was both surprised and heartened by her grandmother's bluntness.

"Yeah, I figured. You called Kyle your grandson, that day in the hospital."

"Oh! So, you do remember that you have brothers?" her grandmother taunted.

"I never forgot, ma'am."

"Your brothers have been in our lives for almost four years. We haven't seen you once."

"Four years? They lived with me until three and a half years ago, when they left for college."

"We connected right after they started university. Remington – that's my husband – and I are on the board. We were at the school for a student exhibit. We're ardent supporters of the arts. That's where I first saw Jackson. It was like a blast from the past. He looks so much like your father did at that age. Both your brothers do," Eleanor mused, fondly.

"Well, they are twins."

"And I see that you have inherited your mother's sass as well."

"You seem very close to my mother."

"I was. She was the daughter I never had," Eleanor gave her a sad smile.

"Please explain to me how you went from one big happy family to never seeing each other again."