His hand brought her to the edge of the seat and his fingers delved inside her, pulling both balls out. He placed them in a small, plastic, red container, snapping it closed.

He then pulled her off the bench, washing her off. They took their time before getting out and drying off. Lily was asleep before her head hit the pillow. Shade slid into bed next to her, pulling the covers over them. He rolled over to turn the lamp off on his bedside table when a swatch of color caught his attention.

Sitting up in bed, he reached out, picking up the object. In his hand lay a red rubber band.

Chapter 43

“Are you nervous?” Beth asked.

“Yes. I feel like I’m going to be sick,” Lily answered. “I’m excited and scared.” Lily turned to look at her sister. “What if I don’t recognize them? I was only eight. I’d feel terrible if I didn’t recognize them.”

Lily sat in her living room. Shade had gone to meet Sawyer, Vida and their husbands to bring them to her house. He hadn’t wanted them to meet for the first time yesterday after she had left the police station, wanting her to wait until the next day to be reunited under a less-stressful atmosphere. She was glad she had listened. She didn’t want anything to mar this moment.

Shade came in through the door, followed by two women and two men, then shut the door behind them.

She recognized Colton from the diner when he had introduced himself, but her eyes were drawn to the two women. Lily stood up as they walked into the room. They all three stood staring at each other after the introductions then, in the next second, they were holding each other, crying. It was several moments before any of them could say a word.

“We thought you were dead,” Vida said, brushing her tears away.

“You’re so pretty,” Sawyer commented.

“I was worried I wouldn’t recognize you, but you haven’t really changed that much. Sawyer, I recognize your nose and hair. Vida, your hair and face are almost the same. You’re how I remember you. I was so scared I wouldn’t recognize you.”

The three friends sat down on the couch together, talking, asking about things friends ask about every day. Beth stood in the kitchen with the men after Lily had introduced them.

“We both decided to live in Queens City after we swore not to,” Vida said, laughing. “I couldn’t bring myself to leave, and Colton has his tattoo shop. I found a job, too, so we bought a house.”

“I enrolled in culinary school. I wanted to travel, but after travelling on a tour bus for a few months, I decided I could learn about different cuisines just the way everyone else does, in a class or with a cookbook. When I do want to travel, we can do a few tour dates with the band. We’re going to be in Lexington in a few weeks. You have to come.”

Lily listened, enjoying the time together. Beth came over eventually, joining them, each taking turns telling Beth a different misadventure they had gotten into as children.

Sawyer and Vida both kept staring at her eyes.

“Why are you staring? Have I changed that much?” Lily asked curiously.

“No,” Vida answered, taking her hand “You haven’t changed. That’s how we recognized you from Penni’s picture.” Vida indicated her eyes. “We went to see her this morning. She’s furious at the Predators. When we told her we didn’t know what they had done, she believed us. She said she wanted to stay here for a few days to figure out if she still wants the job.”

“I hope you can stay for a few days, too,” Lily said hesitantly.

Both women nodded and said they would stay until the end of the week. Neither mentioned their mothers or hers. They also called her Lily, careful not to call her Callie. They kept staring into her eyes as if searching for something.

After dinner the women and their husbands started to leave.

“Just a minute. I’ll be right back. There’s something I want to show you.” Lily went upstairs to her bedroom, picking up the quilt her adoptive mother had made for her. Coming downstairs, she sat on the coffee table in front of them as they sat on the couch.

“Beth’s and my mother made me this quilt when I first came to live with her. I had terrible nightmares that wouldn’t go away. When I came to live with them, the clothes I was wearing… she wanted to throw them away, but I wanted to wear them all the time. I didn’t want to wear anything else. Our father finally got mad and cut them up and put them in the trash, but they couldn’t get me to stop crying.” Lily made a face. “Evidently, that’s a habit I recently just outgrew. Anyway, my mother pulled them out of the trash and made them into this quilt for me. I slept with it for many naps and every night since. It’s very special to me.”

Lily spread the blanket out on all three of their laps. She pointed to the bright pink splashes of color. “Sawyer, that’s the pink t-shirt that your mom gave me to wear when I spilt chocolate milk on mine.” Lily pointed to a faded blue material. “Those are the pants that your mom gave me when my mom sent me to your apartment in shorts and it was freezing cold outside.” Lily then pointed to a piece of green material. “Vida, this is the jacket you outgrew and your mom gave it to me when I was cold. And this white material is the socks she gave me when I had a bad cut on my foot and she didn’t want me barefoot.

“When our mom gave me this quilt, my nightmares didn’t stop, but I would cover my face and pretend I was protected with a special blanket that had magical powers. It’s funny how a child’s mind can twist and turn and find what it needs to survive. I thought I had forgotten about you, but I hadn’t. I never forgot. I kept you with me the only way I could.” Lily swept her hand over the blanket.

“I made you my shield of love, always protecting me. Even now, all grown-up, you tried to protect me, Callie.” Lily’s hands reached out, one to each of her friends to take. Their hands grasped hers, tears falling from each of their eyes. None of them wanted to break the circle to wipe them away.

Lily looked at her friends. “I didn’t forget you, Sawyer, or you, Vida. And I didn’t forget Callie. I’m still here.”

Chapter 44

Lily stood on the snow bank, shivering though she had dressed warmly. She just wanted to see them one more minute.

She put out her hand, knowing how ridiculous it was, but it actually looked like she was holding the lights.

A warm blanket was draped over her shoulders. She hadn’t even heard his footsteps in the crunching snow.

“What did I tell you about sneaking out of the cabin, Lily? I’m going to punish you when I get you back inside,” Shade’s seductive voice whispered into her ear.

“I couldn’t resist, Shade. Isn’t it beautiful?” Lily whispered reverently. “I didn’t know anything so beautiful could exist.”

“I didn’t, either,” he said, rubbing his cheek against hers, his tone just as reverent.

“All these years I’ve waited to see this. It’s more spectacular than I ever believed possible.”

He swept her up into his arms, packing her back inside the warm cabin, shutting and locking the world outside.

Shade had hot chocolate on the table in front of the couch and a warm fire blazing a few feet away. She sipped her chocolate from the mug as she watched him throw a log onto the fire.