"I'm not sure I'm ready for this. What do I say? What do I do? What if this isn't good for her? Maybe she won't remember me. What if it brings back painful memories of the man she tried to get away from? What if-?" Panic took over. She fought for air.
Hunter silenced her by pressing his lips to hers, then pulled back. "What if this is just what she needs? I know you're scared, angel. I felt the same way when I approached Joe's house, eager to understand my past. This is what we've searched months to find out. You're going to have fears and worry, no doubt, but you're going to be okay." He let go of her hands and put them on her shoulders instead. "Breathe. You're going to make yourself sick. I'm right here with you. Ready?"
No, she most definitely wasn't ready, but Becca pulled herself together and followed Hunter up the walkway. Jesse waited at the door, watching the two of them. He gave Becca a sympathetic smile.
"This is going to give her peace," Jesse said quietly. "After years of guilt and the unknown, maybe this will heal her heart and mind. Come on in, and let me find out what she's doing. I'm going to make sure we get privacy." Jesse's voice changed every time he spoke of his- their mother. Becca didn't know much about the man she now knew as her brother, but the one thing she learned was that he loved his family. What a sacrifice to make at nine years old. No wonder Hunter bonded with him before knowing who he was. The two of them took on adult roles at a young age.
Inside, Becca studied the living room. There was a TV on the far side of the wall, a long beige couch with dark brown pillows, and another couch the same color and length on the other side. Photos were hung in rows on the wall, and Becca went to look at them. She gasped when she saw an older reflection of herself in some of the photos. That must be Elizabeth- her mother.
Hunter cleared his throat behind her. "She looks happy there."
"Yeah, she does. They all do." Were the other roommates in this house the same as Elizabeth? Did they all suffer from some kind of mental or physical illness? Could they not live on their own because of their problems? At least in these photos, it seemed like they did plenty of activities together. Her heart shattered, thinking about what kind of life Elizabeth lived. At one time, she'd been a mother to four and a wife. Had her husband always been the kind of monster he was at the end? Becca had so many questions, but some she didn't think she wanted answers to because of the bits and pieces she gathered already.
"You look so much like Elizabeth," a woman said from behind them. "You're her daughter? How come you've never come to see her before?" Accusing eyes glared at her when Becca turned around.
"I-" How in the world did she answer this?
Jesse returned from the hallway. "Leave her be, Maura."
The woman paled. "This is Ariana, isn't it? I always thought she was imaginary. For a second, I thought it was your other sister. I apologize. I'll let you have your privacy."
"I appreciate it." Jesse glanced at Becca and Hunter. "Come on back. Mom's in her room, and I told her I had visitors."
With each step, Becca's mind raced with the endless possibilities. They stopped just outside a slightly ajar door. Jesse hesitated. He wrapped his hand around the knob.
"Should I let the two of you go in without me?" Hunter asked.
"No. Please come with us. I want Mom to know Becca was always in safe hands. You're a part of her life," Jesse said to him.
Good. Becca didn't want to do this without him. She continued to hold his hand.
Every pulse point throbbed. Becca followed Jesse inside the room, but she hung back.
Elizabeth Laughlin rocked in a chair in the corner of the room, holding a notebook. She bowed her head and didn't even look up when they entered the room. Photos hung on the wall over the twin sized bed. Becca noted a few of young children, some she guessed might be her. On the other side of the rocking chair sat an easel. So she did love to paint. There was a good bonding point to find with her mother. Elizabeth's dresser had more frames and a box of paints.
"Hi Mom. I'm back." Jesse gestured for someone to close the door. Hunter did quietly. Elizabeth didn't look up, but continued to rock and write. Jesse knelt before her. "Hey. I need you to look at me, okay? Look in my eyes. I have something very important to tell you."
Becca froze in place when the woman looked up at Jesse. Such familiar, but haunted eyes. Her breath hitched. An ache filled her body, traveling to her heart. The photos showed how much they looked alike, but seeing Elizabeth in person, just a few feet away was an eye opener.
"I'm writing a letter," Elizabeth told her son. "In case Ariana finds her way back."
"Mom, I need you to understand me right now, okay? You need to focus on the present." Jesse glanced back at Becca and gestured for her to come closer. Hunter let go of her hand, and she did. Her brother patted the spot beside him. "I found Ariana. She's here right now."
Becca knelt in front of the rocker next to Jesse. When Elizabeth's gaze landed on her, Becca held her breath for a moment, then breathed out. She didn't know what to say, what to do.
"She goes by Becca now." Jesse reached for her hand.
"How did you find her?" Elizabeth whispered. "How could you have found her after all these years?" The woman stood and edged closer, her wide eyed gaze never leaving Becca's face. "You're real?"
Becca stood. Her knees ached, but she ignored the pain. Elizabeth was only an inch or two taller. She couldn't make her words come out, so she nodded.
"Remember when I came by with a doctor last weekend?" Jesse also stood.
"I remember." Elizabeth continued to stare at Becca.
"It wasn't quite true. The man who came by was someone Ariana ... Becca knows. He took our DNA for a test. This is your daughter. Baby Ariana is all grown up now." Jesse's voice wavered with emotion.
"How? How is this possible?" Elizabeth reached out and touched Becca's face. With her other hand, she picked up a lock of her hair. "You were so tiny. You weren't safe. But..."
Jesse held out a hand to keep his mother steady. "She went to live with a family who loved her, just like we wanted. Remember my old counselor who said I could talk to her husband? Right there is their son. That's Hunter."
Elizabeth looked past Becca, still shell shocked. "You kept my baby? You and your family?"
"No," Hunter replied, moving close to Becca. "My mom's best friend did. They took Ariana- Becca, and loved her as their own until the day they died."
"You're lying! There's no way you could have found her!" Elizabeth shrieked, jumped away from them all. "Why would you tell me these lies, Everett? Why? Ariana's never coming back! She can't! Stop lying!"
"I knew this was a bad idea," Becca mumbled, feeling sick. She took a few steps back, covered her mouth, then excused herself, bolting from the room. Elizabeth's hysterics became too much.
So close. She was so close! Her mother had looked right at her! Sparks of recognition were there, until Elizabeth snapped over the edge. Becca headed outside, needing air. She ran to a corner of the porch and sank down, trying to make sense of what just happened.
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Bec!" Hunter called out as she bolted from the room. "I have to get her," he told Jesse before he followed, wondering where Becca went. He passed by the open bathroom and didn't see her. Hunter guessed maybe she went out the front door and followed that path.
He found her huddled against the outside of the house on the porch, trembling and in tears. Hunter darted across the porch and settled on the ground beside her before he pulled her in his arms.
"I- I couldn't stay in there. She became so distraught, it broke my heart! I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do." Becca sobbed against his chest. "I didn't know how to prepare myself for the moment, even though I knew it could go so many ways."
"She's confused, sweetheart. Like you, she doesn't want to just believe and have her heart broken if it's not true, especially in her mental condition. I know it was hard for you to see that, let alone get the brunt of the pain. It's going to take some time to get th
rough that you're real and that you're her Ariana." Hunter kissed the top of Becca's head, keeping her close. He rocked her in his arms, the both of them silent as he had no idea what else to say. He guessed Becca was trying to process the events. The best he could do was secure her with his love. They probably looked crazy, sitting on the cold porch with a light rain falling, but all that mattered right now was keeping Becca content.
The front door opened. Becca didn't look up, but Hunter did. Jesse approached, his face masked with a grim expression. He stopped just before them and seemed unsure of what to do. "She took it better than I thought, but it was still hard," he said before he also sat on the ground beside Becca and Hunter.
"Sorry I ran. I needed air." Becca finally raised her head, but she didn't pull away from Hunter's arms.
"It's okay. She's still in shock, and I think we should try again in a little bit. I expected this. I'm glad I caught her in a moment where she understood she isn't in the past." Jesse rubbed the back of his neck and let out a long sigh. "This is why I said to give it time before moving her. I know once she finally lets it sink in, she's going to want to be near you. I know I do. The next step is to tell our brother and sister. That one's going to be difficult. I can't even find Annabelle."
"Everett? Your mother's asking for you and Ariana," someone said from inside.
"You think you're okay to come back in?" Jesse climbed to his feet again, staring down at Hunter and Becca. "I understand if you don't feel up to it."
"I can do it," Becca insisted. Hunter rose to his feet first and helped her up.
Jesse touched her elbow. "I was thinking ... I can get Mom out of here for a few hours. Maybe a little reminder of her old surroundings will help her remember, and I can show you where we lived. They aren't the best memories, so it's completely up to you. Then we'll grab a bite to eat or something."
"Do you think it's best?" Becca asked. "Whatever I can do, whatever helps. I just ... I don't want to overwhelm her."
Hunter's heart ached with this. Elizabeth Laughlin struggled with her past and present, and even giving her memories might make things worse.
"Let's go see what she has to say, then take it from there," Jesse suggested.
Becca nodded. She cast a wary glance at Hunter. Agony clouded her beautiful eyes.
Elizabeth was on her bed when the three returned to her room. She held a tiny dress in her hands, which she held up to Becca. "You wore this," she said proudly. "My little baby survived so much. I didn't want to give you away." She jumped up and threw herself in Becca's arms. "I didn't want to lose my babies, any of them!"
Hunter took a step back and watched the exchange. Becca hugged her back, but he could tell she was very uncomfortable and unsure.
"Everett was such a big boy and took care of you for me. You were a good big brother," Elizabeth said to Jesse. She let go of Becca, but still kept a hand on her shoulder. Then she turned to Hunter. "Who are you? How did you know where to find my little girl all these years later?"
"It's a long story, Mom, but Hunter is her fiancé. She's going to marry him in a few months," Jesse explained. "Hunter's known her since she was eight."
Unsure of what he should say or do, Hunter stepped closer to Becca and placed his hand on her back. "I love your daughter very much. She's a brave, beautiful woman. I don't know what led your son to bring her to my family in its entirety, but Ariana, now known as Becca, is my best friend. The family she lived with took very good care of her, and when they couldn't, I did." Elizabeth fixed her gaze on him, as if trying to figure him out.
"She looks like me. Everett, you really kept your promise. You brought my baby to me." The woman trembled, but she was finally getting it. "I didn't think it would happen."
"I did, Mom. I told you I'd do everything I could to find her."
"I want to know everything! Where you live, your passions. You'll tell me, right? Will you come back and visit some more?" She took Becca's hands in hers.
Becca smiled through her tears. "Every chance I can." Right there started the bond. Waves of relief captured Hunter's heart. He knew they'd be okay from here.
"Don't be mad at me. I did what I had to do. Your father was a mean man. So cold, so angry," Elizabeth begged.
"I heard what he did. I'm not mad at you," Becca said softly. "It was so long ago. I had a good life, because you made sure of it." They hugged again, both women crying.
*****
"Where are we going, Everett?" Elizabeth asked. The four of them were piled up in the car. Hunter and Jesse were up front as Jesse drove around. Becca sat behind Hunter and had been chatting with Elizabeth- her mother. She couldn't quite fathom the idea that this was her mom. Other than age, the two were a carbon copy of each other. It was so eerie.
"I want to show Becca where we lived," Jesse reminded her. They'd talked about this a little earlier.
"Why are you called Becca now?" Elizabeth questioned.
"You wanted to make sure no one knew I was alive to keep me safe, right?" Becca said softly.
With wide eyes, her mother nodded.
"That's why I'm Becca now. The Beckmans and the people I thought were my parents named me Rebecca. Did you ever plan to come back for me?" The question had been on her mind, but never meant to come out. She clapped a hand to her mouth.
"I wanted to, but I knew it wasn't going to get better." Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes. "I thought I'd have more time to get everyone out without them having to see what kind of life your father lived. I didn't want to give you away!"
"Mama, she knows that. Becca's going to be full of questions. She's not trying to accuse you of anything," Jesse assured her.
"I'm really not. I need to know so I can understand. I found out months ago that I'm not a Lange." Becca took Elizabeth's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
"They were good to you?"
Becca smiled, remembering Rusty, Anne, and Ellie. "They were wonderful. They loved me, and I was happy."
"You did a good job, Everett."
"I did what you needed me to do, Mom." Jesse's voice was strained. He pulled up in front of a two story gray house. The shingles were worn and old. The yard wasn't very large, overgrown with weeds. "I haven't been by here in a very long time."
"The house your grandfather got for us when I left your father." Elizabeth peered out the window, her face and hands plastered right up against it.
"Is this where it happened?" Becca asked, her stomach in knots. The house they'd been in together before terror struck.
Elizabeth opened the door and stumbled to the sidewalk. Jesse darted out of the car and to her side.
"This is just a few miles from my old house, Bec." Hunter turned around to face her. His eyes were haunted. "Three or four miles. My God. We were so close to each other."
"We could have met, even if things hadn't gone the way they did," she whispered, taking in his words. "We were always closely connected." Staring out the car window, her heart clenched at the sight of Elizabeth sitting on the front porch steps with Jesse, weeping. After spending a few more hours with her, Elizabeth finally understood and came around to the fact that she had her daughter right there in front of her. A few times, it seemed her mental status took her back in time again, but she'd been doing well.
"You want to get out and peek around a little?" Hunter asked softly.
"Kind of." She pushed the door open and climbed out anyway. Hunter met her at the curb. He curled his fingers over hers, and they walked side by side up the sidewalk to the gravel pathway that led to the old house. Her old house.
A month ago, they'd come to Maryland doing a similar thing. Hunter got to see his old house, something Becca felt almost a hundred percent sure she'd never do. Who would have thought they were only miles from her old house? Who would have thought her family had been so close?
Today, she had the answers she needed. She got to meet her mother, she knew her brother and had learned of two other siblings. Becca and Hunter didn't have to wonder w
hy their families were connected. They knew now. It didn't take the sting out of the situation completely, though. It made her heartsick that she took the place of a baby who never got to live. "Rebecca Lange, I hope I did okay carrying your name."
"What?" Hunter stopped short, his voice choked up. He stared at Becca.
She'd said it out loud. Damn!
"Bec-"
"I spoke out loud. It wasn't meant for you to hear." She inhaled sharply. Her text notification went off. Becca thought maybe it was Shara or Rissi checking in to see how things went. When she opened the message and stared at a familiar painting and the message that went along with it, she gasped. "Hunter, someone's been in our house," she hissed, handing him the phone.
"Guilty consciences make for interesting paintings."
Hunter swore. "Bec, this isn't in the house. Look at the background." He pointed, handing the phone back to her.
He was right. The painting wasn't at home. The very same dark painting she hid from Hunter because she didn't know what to do about it.
It now hung in Brock's gallery.
*****
Elizabeth Laughlin wasn't ready by a long shot to let her kids leave that night. Hunter and Becca kept quiet about the painting and the text, as to not alert Elizabeth. She was already in a fragile place, and adding the crazy details that made up their life the past few months wasn't on the agenda. They knew Jesse sensed something, but so far, he hadn't said a thing.
"You'll come back?" Elizabeth hugged Becca and Jesse.
"Of course I'll come back. And you can call me any time, too. I promise you'll see as much of me as you want." Becca tried to hold it together. She didn't want to go home and leave her mom, either. Not after only a few hours of being able to get to know her.
"My baby. I still can't ... I'm in awe that you're here, all grown up. You tell your brother he better give you your box. I told him to save it all these years. You hear me, Everett?"
A Forever Masterpiece (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 3) Page 25