Isabelle came running back home when she learned that Anastasia was back again.
Finally, her heart was at ease. She couldn't wait till she meet her again.
When Isabelle arrived home, she quickly went towards Anastasia and hugged her tightly.
Isabelle: "Oh my goodness! I was so scared. I thought something happened to you." She took that thought out from her mind. She didn't wanted to think about something like that. "No! Everything is fine. You are safe." She sighed with relief.
Anastasia hugged Isabelle back "Grandma everything is fine. Look, I am okay. Nothing happened to me so please don't take any stress anymore." She looked at Isabelle with pleasing eyes. She didn't liked seeing Isabelle like this.
Isabelle also understood it, that's why she touched Anastasia's face with care. She knew that learning about her being adopted might have hurted her alot. But Anastasia will never show her pain to the outside world.
It was not in her personality to do that.
Maybe it is Isabelle's fault only. From a young age, she has been teaching Claudia how to become strong. And in that, she always told her that being vulnerable in front of anyone can make you look weak.
And by thinking the same way, Claudia also raised her daughters while telling them the same thing.
That's why both Anastasia and Emily had a hard time while expressing themselves.
Isabelle: "Forget everything Agnes told you about. Trust me, you being adopted doesn't really matter to us. We all love you so much that's why I never told you about this." She wanted her to understand this.
By hearing that, Anastasia broke her shell of being okay and started to cry. "I know that... But I don't know why.., I am feeling very anxious... I can't digest the fact that I am adopted"
Emily: "Who is adopted!?" She asked with a stunned face. She just came in the house after bidding ruby farewell and now what are these people talking about?
Emily: "Why are you crying, Anna? Did something happened?"
Anastasia wipped her tears and said with a broken voice. "Nothing happened."
Isabelle: "Emily go back to your room!"
Emily: "No! Why should I? Tell me what is wrong? Why are you guys hiding stuff from me? Because of what? I am child?" She hated that they were not telling her anything.
But Anastasia didn't wanted to hide anything anymore. Emily also deserves to learn the truth.
Anastasia: "Emily I am adopted."
Emily: ".... Huh!? What!? Say that again."
Anastasia: "I am adopted."
Emily burst into laughter. "Seriously? You guys really thought you can prank me? Come on Anna, find a better lie"
She thought that Anastasia will also burst into laughter because of getting caught but it didn't happened. She looked serious.
That's when she felt that something was weird.
Emily: "Please tell me it is not true."
Anastasia: "Sadly it is true." She controlled her tears.
Emily's facial expression was saddened. "H-how?" Her voice broke.
Anastasia had no words to say. "I don't know..."
"Grandma my head hurts... I am going to rest for a bit." Emily quickly climbed the stairs and ran into her bedroom. She didn't knew how to react in this situation. that's why she ran away from it. Just like she did everytime.
Isabelle looked at Anastasia with a teary eye. "She needs some time to process everything. She will be normal in the morning. You just go and rest."
Anastasia: "No! I need to talk to her otherwise she won't understand." She ran upstairs towards Emily's room and saw her laying on the bed peacefully. She looked like she was in a deep thought.
Emily opened her eyes and noticed Anastasia standing there.
She threw her pillow at her. "Leave me alone! What do you want!?" Her voice was shaking.
Anastasia: "I want to talk to you"
Emily sat up on the bed. "Fine, but say it quickly."
Anastasia sat beside her. "Why are you getting so mad? Do you not think of me as your older sister anymore?"
Emily jumped "No! How can you even think about something like that?" She held her hand. "Anna whatever happens in my life. You will always be my sister. Nothing is going to change it."
Anastasia: "Then why are you acting weird?"
Emily shook her head. "I don't know... Maybe I am stunned. I never expected this. I mean, how is this possible? People said we look alike then how!?"
Anastasia tried to calm her down. "As you said, nothing is going to change between us... So let's forget this, like it is some kind of bad memory."
Emily also nodded while looking at her while being emotional. "Alright... But promise me that we will always be with each other."
Anastasia smiled. "I promise." She held her hand.
Anastasia wiped her tears. "Now go back to sleep! because you need to wake up early in the morning. We are leaving tomorrow"
Emily leaned on the bed lazily. "Our trip to Stafford village was really short."
Anastasia: "I know... But what can I do about it? I am feeling homesick."
Emily chuckled "I bet you are." But then she remembered. "So did you informed mom that we are going to come back?"
Anastasia: "Let's give her a surprise."
Emily: "Well, now I am excited. I want to know why she was so eager to send us here?"
Anastasia: "For that, you need to wait till tomorrow. So goodnight."
Emily: "Goodnight"
***
(Next day)
Anastasia hugged Isabelle While bidding farewell. "Bye-bye, grandma. Please take care of yourself and if you need anything then call me. Alright?"
Isabelle wiped her tears. She wanted them to stay for a little longer but it is not safe for them. This village would not let that happen, that's why they should be leaving.
Isabelle: "I will, and don't forget to give my regards to Claudia."
Anastasia: "Okay fine. But grandma why don't you come with us? We will feel better if you did."
Isabelle shook her head. "Not possible. I have the responsibility of this village that's why I can't leave from this place."
Anastasia felt sad but she still understood Isabelle's position. "As you wish."
Emily: "Actually I also wanted to stay here for a little longer, but my school is going to start weeks later. That's why I can't."
Isabelle: "You can come here again after your vacation starts."
Emily giggled "Sure"
Anastasia moved towards Agnes and gave her a hug. "Take care of yourself."
Agnes: "Hmm... But don't forget the thing I told you."
Anastasia understood that Agnes is talking about controlling her power.
Anastasia: "I'll try."
Anastasia looked at ruby and smiled "Let's keep in touch"
Ruby: "You can call me anytime."
Emily noticed the uber they booked was finally here. "Anna, the car has arrived."
After that, both of them sat in the car and waved their hands while saying goodbye.
Emily: "Bye everyone. We'll come back again."
Emily leaned on her seat "Oh finally!"
Anastasia sighed with relief. "Yeah, finally I could ignore those stupid ghosts, demons, and especially that bastard Ezen. I hope he finds some other ressurector for his work."
Emily: "Wait! What are you muttering by yourself? Tell me something about it."
Anastasia: "It's nothing."
But Emily did not believe that. "Were you thinking about that guy who you were having affair with?"
Anastasia got offended. "That was a joke! I am not having an affair with anyone."
Emily touched her heart. "Ouch! I thought finally I am going to get my new brother-in-law but you broked my heart."
Anastasia: "Why do you want me to get married so badly? Do you have an eye on my bedroom?"
Emily: "No! I just want to be an aunt. So Anna, please get married fast and give me some nephews ot nieces. I promise I will be a good aunt."
Anastasia's cheek turned red and then she became annoyed. "Seriously? I am a child myself and you want me to have a kid? You are crazy!" She is not going to have a kid just because of Emily's stupid obsession. She only wants to be an aunt because her friends are one.
Emily sighs and started to sulk. "Uggh, fine."
Anastasia took out the phone from her purse and started to call Claudia to inform her that they are coming but no one picked up the phone.
Anastasia dialed her number again "Why is mom not picking up my call?"
But Emily was very chilled about it. "I don't know, has she ever picked up our call?"
Anastasia: "Anyway, I am calling poppy"
She started to call her best friend and thankfully she picked it up.
Poppy: "Hey girl! How is your trip going?'
Anastasia: "We are coming back today."
Poppy: "What!? You just left yesterday and coming back now? What type of trip is this?"
Anastasia: "A very weird one. I'll explain everything to you when I return but first, tell me where is mom."
Poppy: "Aunt Claudia? Yeah, I visited her yesterday but no one was in the house. I thought she went outside or something, that's why I didn't called you. But why? What happened? Did you forgot your house keys?"
Anastasia: "No, I do have my house keys. But I was worried about mom, she is still not picking up the call."
Poppy: "Anna you don't need to worry. When you arrived, give me a call. I will come to pick you both up, and after that, we'll check out what exactly happened to her. Alright?"
Anastasia: "Okay... Bye"
Poppy: "Bye, have a great journey."
Anastasia kept her phone down and noticed a car following them from way before.
She found it suspicious because it has been 20 minutes and the car was still following them.
Anastasia: "Emily I think that car is following us." She started to feel anxious.
Emily glanced at the Toyota Camry from the side mirror and saw that the car went ahead of them.
Emily: "See? They went ahead of us which means they were not following us. You are getting paranoid for no reason."
Anastasia didn't knew how to react. Her Instinct told her that the car was following them. But that might not be the reason. She is really getting paranoid. She needs to visit her psychiatrist sometimes.
Anastasia: "Yeah, I think so. Maybe my schizophrenia is kicking in."
After that, the car ride was very quiet.
***
(8 hours later)
Anastasia's body started to hurt because of sitting in the car for hours. "Ouch! My back! It hurts so much."
It was already evening now, they left from Stafford village at 11:00 am and arrived at 7:00 pm.
But they still couldn't see poppy anywhere.
Anastasia tried to call her many times but she still didn't picked it up.
God knows why nobody is picking up her calls today.
Emily kept chewing her snacks while waiting.
She didn't cared that Anastasia was under stress because they could have just walked home from here. Then why are they waiting?
Anastasia noticed a pretty black African American woman waving her hand from afar. "I am here."
After seeing her, they went towards her.
Anastasia: "Where were you!?" She was mad because she waited for 10 minutes for her.
They would arrived home till that time.
Poppy: "I was busy that's why I was late." She looked at Emily who was munching her snacks. "Give me some of those Cheetos." She tried to take it but Emily slapped her hand.
Emily: "No! It is mine" she hugged her bag of hot Cheetos and started to eat it.
Poppy pouted. "Whatever. Anna, first let's go to some restaurant, I am really hungry."
Anastasia: "I am hungry too. So let's eat at aunt Charlotte's restaurant. She makes amazing food."
Aunt Charlotte is poppy's mother and she always spoils Anastasia more than her own daughter. That's why Anastasia wanted to go there.
Poppy: "Yeah, sure. Our restaurant is only 8 minutes away from here. So let's walk."
Anastasia: "Wait! You didn't brought your car?" She can't walk now, her back is already hurting.
Poppy pinched her cheeks. "Why would I bring a car just for minutes? Come on Anna, We can walk till there."
Anastasia sulked "but my legs hurt." She gave a sad smile.
Poppy chuckled. "Why? What were you doing in that village to make your legs hurt? Having affair? Huh? Are you cheating on me?"
Emily giggled while listening to that.
But Anastasia got frustrated. "You both are disgusting! Don't talk to me ever again." She left from that place angrily.
Both Emily and poppy followed her while laughing.