Chapter 12
Only when the sound of the car had disappeared did I snap back to reality. He’d come and gone, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, not giving me a moment to question him. I looked around the empty house, a hollow laugh escaping my lips. Tears welled up, mingling with the bitter taste of my laughter.
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Luna Mansion. A semi–mountain villa, nestled in a prime New York location, known for its security and exclusivity. The black Maybach pulled into the courtyard. Kevin had woken up.
Joshua explained that Julianna was his birth mother, and I was his foster mother. Kevin didn’t protest. “So I have two moms?”
Joshua nodded, emphasizing, “Mom Julie went through a lot to have you. She loves you very much. Apologize, and call her ‘Mom.’ Remember?”
Kevin nodded obediently.
Julianna sat on the sofa, a blanket over her legs, her bandaged ankle visible. She smiled at their arrival.
“Joshua, Kevin, you’re here.”
Kevin looked up at his father.“Go ahead,” Joshua said, ruffling his hair.
Kevin walked towards Julianna. She reached out.“Kevin, a hug?”
He hesitated, then went to her. She embraced him, tears streaming down her face.
“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you. I’ve thought of you every day…”
His small body stiffened in her embrace. He smelled her perfume – floral, sharp, a stark contrast to the faint sweetness that always clung to me.
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