"Just shine like you always do."
Gwenn Davidson has always known she was adopted, but after clearing up her stuff for her first move out of her parent's house, she finds an old blanket gifted to her by her birth mother that triggers an avalanche of...
"It doesn't matter," her mother sighed. Gwenn managed the softest nod as she curled her fingers around the blanket. "I'm now your mother. What more do you need?"
Her mother tried for a smile, but only the corners of her lips tipped upwards. A mechanical smile. One reserved for pretend manners. Gwenn averted her gaze, going back to the opened chest in front of her. A collection of folded blankets stared back at her for a mere second because her mother slammed the chest shut, the sound reverberating across the attic.
"Come," her mother said, stretching up to her full height. "Let's not waste anymore time. Your father is waiting."
Going down the steps, Gwenn wondered what else stayed hidden inside the chest, but at least she held tight to her baby blanket, folding it up and stuffing it under her shirt. If her mother saw her keep it, she didn't let her know. When her mother turned her back to her, grabbing onto a remaining box in the corner of her bedroom, Gwenn took the blanket out and stashed it inside her duffle bag, covering it up with most of her jeans.
Her fingers shook over the zipper as her mother rushed back beside her, forcing a smile and pulling the bag right from under her grasp.
"Is that all?" Her mother asked, holding the duffle bag close to her body. Gwenn studied it, pursing her lips before nodding. "Alright, then. It's time to leave, my sweet." With one hand, she reached over and squeezed her shoulder lightly as the realization set in her stomach.
Her mother walked out, leaving her alone in the space she grew up in.
Gwenn turned around, hoping to memorize every corner. The cream walls that watched all the laughter, embarrassment, frustration, stress, and cries as she developed into the young woman she was appeared to shrink, as if saddened by the knowledge of her forthcoming absence. She looked up at the light blue ceiling, painted to resemble the sky on a nice spring day with white puffy clouds lined with the faintest sun rays. She bent down towards her bed, sitting on the edge recalling all the times she talked about boys to Aura, then spent hours studying for exams to keep her grades to her liking.
So many days, so many years all left in the past.
Now she would be surrounded by four different walls.
She stood again, walking to her emptied closet. Memories of Aura making outfits for her and even taking a few of her tops to wear flashed before her eyes. She imagined Scarlet sprawled over her bed, frowning at the idea of wearing anything other than black. A prancing Zilla followed, swishing the skirt of one of her sundresses with a smile. The image of Sierra sitting on the bed, encouraging Aura in her scavenging scheme, completed the large portrait.
Her best friends.
Her life was built inside that room, nurtured under that roof, under the supervision of her dedicated parents.
And yet, she wondered about the lives that came before her, leading to her existence. Leading to her wrapped in that baby blanket.
Her breath hitched as she itched to go back into the attic to find anything else she might have missed. Something to let her know of the life she would have led had she stayed with her biological family. Something more buried, waiting for her to uncover it.
"Gwenn?" Her mother stood by her door, leaning against the frame with a hand over her waist.
She took one last look at her room and inhaled sharply. "It's time to go."
"You'll be back many, many times," her mother reassured. "This will always be your home." She offered Gwenn a hand, eyes glistening in the afternoon light filtering through her bedroom window.
They walked out of the house into the blazing sun of Hales Bay. Her father squinted in their direction, his salt and pepper hair flowing with the slight breeze. He motioned for another bag, but her mother shook her head. The trunk of the SUV was closed with a thunk, and her father spread his arms wide for her to step into.
"Look at you," he said into her hair. "Grown up with your own place. I'm so proud of you."
Gwenn smiled up at him. "Now we won't be able to plan our mega pranks for Mom." Her mother scoffed, shaking her head as she blocked the sun with the back of her hand.
"I'll do them alone and send you the videos." He winked.
"Malcolm!" her mother complained.
"What?" Her father melted back into a teasing smile. "Meredith, you know you love coming back from work to a nice scare."
Her mother rolled her eyes, fighting off a smile. "I might just enact revenge if these tricks become too frequent."
"Oh, Dad, you have to be careful." Gwenn laughed when he made a dismissing wave of his hand.
"Very careful," her mother highlighted, pointing a finger at her father. "Now let's get moving. We have too much to unpack when we get to Lockfell." She finished with a sigh. "We should have gone earlier."
"Relax, Mom, the girls will be waiting at my apartment with Jake, Milo, and Raphael. We'll have plenty of hands helping out," Gwenn reminded her. That seemed to alleviate tension from her shoulders.
"You found everything you needed, right?" Her father questioned, unlocking the doors of the SUV for them. "No more trips to the attic?" Her heart dipped, wanting to go back to the old chest, to find out more about where she came from.
"I found a blanket," she said, unable to bite her tongue. "Mom said it was given to me by my biological mother." The air stilled as they mounted the car. She slid back into the leather seats, letting its warmth seep into her skin.
"Did you now?" The engine roared to life.
Gwenn pursed her lips. "Isn't there anything you can tell me about her?"
An exasperated grunt escaped her mother's lips. "I really do not understand the need to know, Gwenn. That woman only pushed you out into this world. She has no place in your life because she didn't want to be in it. You have us because we wanted you. Besides, it was a closed adoption. Now let it go."
Silence followed as her mother leaned back into her seat. Her father didn't even bother to turn on the radio and pulled out of their driveway. Gwenn slouched back, looking down at her hands resting over her thighs.
She imagined herself letting go of her tight grip on the blanket, dropping it back inside the old chest. Burying it again, never to be opened.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know I have you two."
Her mother sighed. "Let's put all of this away, hm? This is a good day. You're moving to Lockfell and building your life. This is a day for celebration, not about looking for answers that aren't there."
Gwenn nodded, fumbling with her fingers over her lap.
The old chest closed and a cloud of dust settled over it, hiding it in its corner in the attic.
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