722 To Say Goodbye
A sudden cry shook Alice’s thoughts. The boy had fallen to the ground and now sat crying. Alice reached for the door but stopped herself.
The man rushed to the boy, checking for injuries and holding him close, but the boy was upset. He continued to cry in the man’s arms. The man lifted him up and carried him to the porch, they sat down on the steps, and the man rocked the boy in his arms. He patted his back gently and sang to him.
Alice gasped as she heard the familiar tune.
A memory of a woman with tight brown curls and caramel skin. She sat on a green couch, holding a baby in her arms. His chubby cheeks and giggling smile. Alice sat on the floor, staring at the baby in her mother’s arms. She smiled as he giggled each time her mother tickled his toes. Her mother smiled, a warm and happy smile, as she sang to him.
The same song that Alice heard now from the man holding the boy.
Alice swallowed as she looked at the man. As she saw the smile, the warm, happy smile, just like her mother. This was the boy she had dreamt of. The one that Myka reminded her of.
“Alice?” Axel called her.
Alice turned, wiping the tear that had fallen from her eye.
“Are you okay?” he asked, putting his hands on her cheeks and wiping her eyes with his thumbs.
Alice nodded.
“I think…” she said softly. “I think he might be my cousin.”
Axel looked past her at the man, now laughing with the boy. He turned back to Alice and gently stroked her cheek.
“What do you want to do?” Axel asked.
Alice took a deep breath. Part of her wanted to talk to him, to find out about him and tell him who she was. But the rest of her knew that was not a good idea. How could she explain what happened, where she had been this whole time, who she really was?
She looked back at her cousin. He smiled as he lifted the boy, his son, she guessed, into the air and spun him around happily. Alice turned away and lowered her head.
“I want to find my mother,” she said softly. “I don’t want to disturb his life.”
Axel reached out and lifted her chin.
“Are you sure?” he asked, looking into her eyes.
Alice saw the concern and love that looked back at her. She knew that Axel would accept any answer she gave. If she wanted to reveal the truth to her cousin, even though it was dangerous, Axel wouldn’t stop her.
But Alice knew better than any that the danger wasn’t just to the werewolves. She had no right to put that risk on this innocent man and his child.
“I’m sure,” Alice nodded. Looking back once more at her cousin as he continued to play with his son, Alice smiled. “Let’s go.”
After leaving the house, they searched through public records. Alice was shocked to find that she and her mother were reported to have died in a car accident. She had wondered how Holden had ensured that no one was looking for her all these years. Now she understood.
As they approached the grave, Alice stopped. She held a sunflower in her hand, and her heart was racing. Axel took her other hand, squeezing gently.
“Come on,” he whispered with a kind smile. “I want to meet your mom.”
Alice smiled and nodded.
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“Is that you?” Axel asked.
Alice opened her eyes and looked down at the headstone. She was surprised to see an oval picture above the epitaph. It was of her mother holding Alice in her arms when she was about five years old. They both smiled as though they were laughing.
“In Loving Memory of Savannah and Alice Monroe,” Axel read. “Devoted Mother, Beloved Daughter.”
Alice let out a sob, and then another, and another. She cried more that day than she had in her entire life.
Together, they faced her worst nightmare. Her origin story, the moment burned into her memory. Bloody sunflowers on the kitchen floor. That day, Alice was finally able to let go of that image. She was finally able to see her mother’s face. To feel the warmth of her smile and to say goodbye.
[PRESENT]
“Alice?” Axel called.
Alice took a breath and looked around as she was pulled back from her memories. He stood before her, holding their daughter in his arms, bounding her lightly with a concerned look.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
Alice smiled and nodded.
“Just got lost in my thoughts for a moment,” she said. “How’s our girl?”
Axel smiled and looked down.
“She was asleep for a moment, but she keeps stirring,” he said quietly.
Alice smiled and stepped closer to them.
“That’s because she knows her mommy is here,” Alice said, reaching out for her.
Axel chuckled as Alice took her from him.
“Oh, baby girl,” Alice cooed. “How’s my sweet Savi?”
Savannah looked up at her mother with sleepy eyes and smiled before nuzzling against her mother’s throat and falling asleep.
“See,” Alice grinned. “She missed me.”
“So did I,” Axel whispered, kissing Alice’s forehead.
Alice chuckled as she headed toward the bedroom.
“Did you check in with Corrine?” she asked.
“I did,” Axel said as he moved ahead of her to open the door. “The boys are fine. They were already up and out the door by the time I called. Apparently, Myka and Stefan are teaching them to fish.”
Alice laughed as she carefully placed Savannah in the crib and pulled the blanket over her.
“Did you find Ashleigh?” Axel asked, leaning against the door frame.
“I did,” Alice replied.
“And how did that go?” he asked.
Alice leaned down and kissed Savannah’s forehead. She then turned toward the door, motioning for Axel to leave the room.
Axel moved back into the living room and turned to face Alice.
“Did you tell her?” Axel asked.
Alice carefully closed the door and turned to face Axel.
“Alice,” Axel said, moving close to her and putting his hands on her shoulders, “I know you had other concerns, but we need to tell her why we came.”
Alice licked her lips.
“There’s no need,” she said.
Axel furrowed his brows.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
Alice took a deep breath and looked up at him.
“There’s no need because Caleb is back,” she said.