Strangers With Memories

Twenty two

22 • When she is found
Chloe point of view
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⠀⠀⠀”Where do you think she is?” I ask.
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⠀⠀⠀Ricky thinks a bit. “Maybe she's at my apartment.”
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⠀⠀⠀I shake my head. “Why'd she go there? Maybe she was seen by someone, the doorman could've seen her.”
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⠀⠀⠀We make our way to the lobby and the doorman is sitting on the couch reading news paper.
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⠀⠀⠀”Uh excuse me, we're looking for her-our daughter. She's tall, brown hair, blue eyes, noisy.” Ricky says as the man looks up.
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⠀⠀⠀”No one left the building yet, it's still 7 am. At night, children under the age of 14 aren't allowed to leave without permission. Your child is probably still here.” The doorman lazily says while yawning.
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⠀⠀⠀”So Maria's still here, but where? She knows no one here and everyone that lives here is old.” I question.
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⠀⠀⠀”We'll have to knock on people's doors, Chlo.”
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⠀⠀⠀•••
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⠀⠀⠀”Sorry, she isn't here, sweetie.”
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⠀⠀⠀”Thank you.” I sigh as another elderly lady closes the door on my face saying no one's with them.
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⠀⠀⠀I’m on my way back home, it's been 3 hours already and maybe Ricky is with her right now. I open my door and before I walk in, Ricky calls me.
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⠀⠀⠀”Hi, did you find her?” I ask. At the same time, a young looking lady is walking out of the apartment next to mine, I just ignore her and keep talking.
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⠀⠀⠀”No, I was hoping you'd have good news.” He sighs.
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⠀⠀⠀I groan. “What if she left the building with someone? Maybe she needs me, she might be hurt. Maria knows no one here, where could she be at?!” I freak out.
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⠀⠀⠀”Chloe, calm down, I'm going there and we'll look for her together.” Ricky calms me hanging up.
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⠀⠀⠀I look around and the lady is still there, she walks up to me.
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⠀⠀⠀”I think I can help you.” She says.
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⠀⠀⠀The lady took me in her apartment, I desperately look around hoping to see my daughter. We go in her kitchen and Maria is right in there. She's smiling at a magic trick that was just showed to her as I walked in.
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⠀⠀⠀”Maria?” I smile.
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⠀⠀⠀”M-momma…” She responds facing me.
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⠀⠀⠀I kneel down to her size and give her a big hug. Maria doesn't hug back, nor does anything.
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⠀⠀⠀I pull back. “Sweetie, I'm sorry for hiding your dad from you, I was only protecting your dad's future.”
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⠀⠀⠀”But you lied to me.” Maria whispers looking down.
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⠀⠀⠀I sigh. ”I'm sorry. I know sorry won't fix things, but we can still live a happy life.”
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⠀⠀⠀”How? Isn't my dad mad at you?” She asks crossing her arms.
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⠀⠀⠀I nod. “He is. But Ricky loves me, he loves us and he'll forgive me with time.”
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⠀⠀⠀My daughter smiles at me and pulls me in a warm hug. We get hugged by someone else, I look up and see Ricky smiling.
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⠀⠀⠀Maria pulls back and giggles at Ricky. “Dad are you crying?”
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⠀⠀⠀He tears up more. “You called me dad for the first time.” We all laugh.
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⠀⠀⠀It's good to finally have these two know they're related, I don't think I would've taken it any longer. I'm just glad I can call them family.
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⠀⠀⠀A/N-This is it! Thank you all for reading this fanfic till the end and thank you for all the amazing comments.