"Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood."
~George Orwell
Coldness breaks out onto my skin and my throat runs dry as I stare at Anna's parents in awe. "You are not our Anna."
"How did you know?" my brow narrowing is the only expression my face gives even though I am tumbling on the inside.
Maria steps forward and gently takes my hand, "We were Anna's parent for fifteen years and we could tell you weren't her the minute you spoke. And indeed it has been long, but we raised Anna and we know what's unlike her. We believe that you are Cara Wilson our long lost daughter." Her eyes are glassy and filled with much hope and happiness.
I turn to look at Eli who is far away and unable to hear what we're saying, "Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it doesn't look like you have a choice in whatever it is you are doing here." Agada voices his reply. "I think if you had your way, you'd be long gone, leaving all this behind and staying far from it. If we were to call you anything but Anna, Eli would have figured out the truth or at least sensed something was off and we doubt you'd want that."
A gasp escapes my lips and I shake my head, "I wouldn't. It's complicated." I reply, not even knowing where exactly to start with everything as I stare at these wonderful people before me.
Even though I've found my biological parents and them, their long lost daughter and we have discovered a lot of truth about ourselves, we can't show excitement because it would only make Eli wonder what is going on.
"You should tell him," Agada suggests, his eyes going over to Eli.
The very thought causes my heart to skip and I instantly shake my head, "I can't, there is so much to lose and that's what makes it complicated. Anna will come back and when she does, all this will make sense."
Maria warms me up with a loving smile, "We hope you're right, child and we pray this doesn't end badly for you."
That has been my prayer but I lose faith with every passing day. "Me too, thank you for keeping my secret."
There is understanding in Agada's eyes as he says, "It isn't ours to tell."
"What is the name you were given, my child?" She asks curiously.
"Quynn, Quynn Hudson."
"We named you, Cara Wilson."
"It's a beautiful name," I painfully smile at them.
"And the man that took you from us?"
I turned to Agada who asked the question, "He died when I was seven." I answer and though my reply should be good news to them especially after he did to their child, it doesn't and they don't look one bit happy instead they are remorseful.
"I'm sorry you had to go through this world alone as a child."
I am lost in confusion for a moment and soon, their words sink into me and tears run down my eyes, "It made me who I am today." who I am is nothing to write home about, but I don't know else to say.
I wipe my face and dipped my hand into my purse and bring out their special invitation card for the wedding before handing it to Agada. "I am inviting you to Eli and Anna's wedding. If my prayers get answered, Anna will be the bride on that day and you will get to see your daughter."
Her eyes are wary as they stare at me, "What if she doesn't return before that day?"
I couldn't even take my mind to the thought of Anna not making it back on that day and though I have no idea how she will, it the only sane thing to hold on to. "I'll keep praying that she does."
Maria wraps her arms around me before I know it and though I was not expecting it, I take advantage of it because they are the family I thought I no longer had. She gently rubs over my back and my eyes grow glassy in response, I hug back tightly and lovingly, and I begin to feel a little glimpse of hope in all of this.
Maybe this isn't going to end horribly after all, maybe just maybe my prayers will be heard and Anna will return before this get any worse, because the last thing I want after just finding my family, is losing them.
.
Eli's POV
"I'm so glad you could make it. " Jumai says, walking out to meet us and she hugs me and then hugs Anna.
After we got home from Anna's parents' place, I got a call from my mother, inviting both Anna and me to dinner at her place. Anna had been a bit quiet and cold since yesterday when she learnt that she had another twin sister out there and wasn't an only child. It broke my heart seeing her cry and look defeated and I wanted to console her more than anything. She withdrew a little and I could sense the wall between us even as we said our farewell to the Wilsons.
Anna was a little different and I guess when the truth you didn't know gets revealed you would feel that way but I tried to make her understand that I was still here for her. I also asked if she wanted to search for her twin sister and she coldly said no and immediately shut down the discussion.
I felt sad and I didn't know how else to reach out. She was going through something and I wish I could help, but I just wanted to be supportive.
"Mother called me," I informed her as we approached the mansion and she glanced up at me with a raised brow.
"What for?"
"She wants us to come for dinner. Tonight." I replied, trying to make no big deal of it
She scoffed in disbelief, already on the defence, "Why would she want to do that?"
I was clueless about the answer but I was certain about one thing, "I don't know, something about us getting along." Jumai stressed the need for us to make amends on the phone especially now that the wedding was so close and it sounded convincing even when I couldn't completely trust her.
She gave me the 'I hope you do not believe that' look, "I don't think she wants to get along with me, Eli, we both know that."
"Well, she's reaching out to us, I only think it's fair that we accept and give it a try." I put out to her.
She was reluctant but as the dinner time drew closer, I checked her up in her room and saw that she was ready, dressed in a red gown with black heels and her hair tied into a neat bun that brings out her full beautiful face.
"You look amazing," I blurted out as I stepped further into the room and took her lace-covered hand and placed kisses on it.
I saw a smile almost enter her face before it vanished. "Well, I'd like to keep it that way throughout the dinner with your mother."
I chuckled at how blunt she could be at times, "Well, I'm always going to be behind you." I lean in and tried to kiss her lips but she pulled away.
"We shouldn't be late," she said before walking out of the room.
...
"You look, beautiful mother," I said hugging her, "Is that Dior?" I ask as we pull away.
She smiled mischievously, "One and only."
She turns to Anna who has been silent beside me for the last couple of minutes with warmly smiles at her, "Anna, I'm glad you came, I thought you weren't going to come."
Anna returns her smile, "Well your son is good at convincing people to do even those things they don't want to."
"He's still yet to convince me that he made the right choice with some things in life." She retorts.
Anna's teeth clench, "I think he has, but you're good at ignoring things that don't go in line with what you want, but ignoring it won't make it go away."
She smiles unbothered with Anna's word, "True, I guess we have to find other ways of doing that."
"Can we just eat?" I ask, already pissed at the senseless fight happening between them.
We ate through the meal for twenty minutes without neither one of them saying a word and I couldn't help wishing that continue until we leave.
"So Anna, are you prepared for your big day coming?" Jumai asks as she drops her cutleries beside her plate and wipes her mouth with a napkin.
Anna gives a small nod but remains in silence, "I haven't gotten an invitation yet," she points out, her eyes burning into Anna's skull.
"You said you weren't going to come when I brought you the invitation about a month ago." Anna reminds her, finally speaking up since we've been at the table.
"There was a reason I said that."
"Yes, because you thought I was a golddigger and Eli would see through my charade before the wedding. You said all the preparation and money spent on wedding planning was going to go to waste and that was why you decline the invitation."
"I haven't been proven wrong yet."
Anna abruptly set down her cutleries before getting up. "I am tired of you trying to pull me down, Mrs Wilson, when all I've done and tried to do has been to love your son and try to understand you. You say you love Eli so much, yet you disrespect his choice in life. Do you mean to tell me your son is too naïve to make his own decisions or too gullible that he needs your direction on every turn? If you can't show me respect because your mind is already made up, then at least show respect to your son and believe he made the right decision." She finishes with a deep inhale before walking away from the dining table.
I get up to run after her, "She knows I'm right." Jumai says and my eyes flare up as I turn to her.
"No, you're not right, she's right. By constantly disrespecting her, you disrespect me and my choices, I invited her to dinner and though she hated the idea of being under the same roof with you, she accepted because she knew that that would make me happy. See that's the difference between the two of you. She is ready to compromise anything, even her happiness, just to see me happy while you who happens to be my mother does the exact opposite."
"That's because she plans to brainwash and use yo-"
"Enough!" I snap, glaring at her, I can't believe she still keeps pushing this mad idea around. "If there's anyone brainwashed, it's you and it's with your hate of Anna. She hasn't done anything to warrant this treatment and her only crime was loving me. And since you can't even respect me or my decision, I am officially telling you that you're not invited to the wedding."
She gets up on her feet immediately, looking, "I'm your mother, Eli."
I have always respected her decision, but she took it too far with Anna, "And I'm your son and you seem to have forgotten that."
Her eyes weaken, "I'm only trying to protect you from decisions which you will regret later." She says and tears roll down her face but I refuse to be guilted back into her corner with them.
"The woman I'll be spending forever with just left and she's heartbroken, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go to her," I say before walking out of the dining room and out of the house.
Xoxo
What are your thoughts? Eli is standing up for his fianceé.
We have few more chapters to go.