Olivia stepped forward slowly and placed her hands to her sister's cheeks. Even if Annie had aged and didn't look like a child anymore, Olivia could still tell that this was her baby sister. The one she would do absolutely anything for.
"Liv, are you okay?" Annie asked, as she watched her sister's eyes well with tears.
"You are just so grown up... you aren't little anymore." Olivia whispered.
"I'm twenty now... I have done a ton of growing up." Annie admitted. Olivia nodded slowly before wrapping her arms tightly around Annie's body and holding her close.
Neither of the girls said a word as they clung to each other. As they thanked God that the other was safe and sound. That Dan hadn't gotten to either of them.
"Are you just visiting? Or are you living here in Manhattan again?" Olivia asked, as she leaned back and smoothed her sister's unruly curls. At least those hadn't changed in the fifteen years since they saw each other.
"I'm here for good..."
"Mama?" Olivia questioned, and Annie swallowed hard as she stepped away from her sister and avoided her eyes.
"Annie, where's Mama?" Olivia asked again, and Annie finally lifted her eyes again before looking at her sister.
"Mama passed away about a year ago."
"W-what?" Olivia whimpered.
"She was happy and surrounded by me, our new step father, and our little sister. They don't know exactly what was wrong with her, but whatever it was... it was bad."
"Annie, that's a lot to think about." Olivia sighed.
"I know, and I'm sorry that I didn't contact you sooner. But I didn't make it out of Detroit until last week. I had to help Mark out with Lillian."
Olivia grabbed onto the doorframe before giving her sister a shaky smile.
"Y-you can come in... but I need to get some air... My husband is upstairs with our son if you wanted to meet them officially." Olivia whispered, before turning and heading towards the backyard.
She shut the door behind her before letting out a loud sob.
///
Annie didn't have a place to stay, so she stayed on the couch. And for the first night in years, Olivia had a nightmare about the night that led to her not seeing her family for so long. She climbed out of bed and went to check in on Elijah before heading downstairs. She found her sister sitting up and watching TV, so at least she wouldn't have to wake her up that she was now ready to talk.
"Hey, Annie." Olivia spoke, as she finished walking down the stairs.
"Hi, Liv. Couldn't sleep?" Annie mused, and Olivia shook her head.
"No, I couldn't. I had a nightmare about that night. It still scares me to this day." Olivia sighed.
"I had nightmares too, but as the years went on I rarely got them anymore. Like after Mama married Mark and had Lillian. I finally had a father that loved me and wasn't abusive. And Lillian is an amazing little sister. She's ten now and she loves to draw and dance." Annie smiled, as she pulled her phone out and flipped through a few pictures before finding one of Mark, Lillian, and herself.
Olivia took the phone from her sister once it was held out to her, and she smiled as she looked the picture over. Lillian looked just like Serena, which must have made it hard after her passing.
"Why didn't Mama bring me along?" Olivia asked weakly.
"Huh?" Annie mused.
"I went into foster care and stayed there for three years before aging out. I was homeless for awhile and it wasn't till four years ago did I really get happy. I wanted to go with you two, but you guys just left me behind." Olivia frowned, as she locked the phone before sitting it on the coffee table.
"I don't know why Mama didn't come get you. Or why she didn't contact you at all. I know that she was missing you a lot towards the end. I just wish that you could have been there with us when she passed." Annie spoke, as she reached out and gently grabbed her older sister's hand.
"I really felt broken and unwanted, Annie. I didn't feel wanted until I met Elliot and his family. Until I got married and got pregnant... If she missed me so much, she should have gotten in contact with me... I would have been on a flight to Detroit as soon as I got the letter or the call. I swear." Olivia whimpered. She brushed tears from her cheeks before going to stand, but Annie forced her to sit down again.
"She felt guilty, Olivia. For forcing you into that situation." Annie sighed.
"The situation with Dan? I wasn't surprised when it really happened! She had dated jerks before, and every time I had to stand up for both of us because we were getting our asses kicked. At least from everything that happened with Dan, we got you out of it. And eventually it helped Mama get out of this fucking city." Olivia frowned.
"I'm gonna go get a hotel room. I'll see you around." Annie whispered since she could tell that being there was making everything much harder for her sister.
"I love you, Annie... I just need space." Olivia sighed.
"Then I'll give you space, but you gotta read this while I'm gone."
Annie handed Olivia an envelop before packing up and walking out the front door as she called for a cab.
Olivia turned on the lamp before reading her name that was written in her mother's swirly handwriting. Olivia quickly opened the envelop before pulling out a letter and starting to read it as everything started to make sense.
Olivia,
I want to apologize for not bringing you with us. For not sending for you. For abandoning you after such a horrible thing had happened. When I first packed up Annie and got on a plane to Michigan, all I could think about was how she needed to be safe and away from Dan. And then once I was there for awhile, all I could think about was you. But I didn't think you'd forgive me for abandoning you.
I want you to know that I have thought about you every day since. I have prayed for you to have a good life, and I pray that you actually have a good life. That you are loved by someone and are having many babies. That you have a job that you enjoy.
I'm writing to you right now, because I'm dying. They don't know what is wrong, but everything is failing. I need you to take care of Annie when she comes to see you, and I want you to go back to Detroit at one point so you can meet Mark and your baby sister, Lillian.
I love you, Olivia. And I wish that I had brought you with us...
Mama