The weeks that have followed have been hard on us all. I've sat by the phone and watched the seconds tick as I wait for the one call that will end my uncertainty.

I've tried to keep busy, dividing my time between work and home but I can't seem to hold it together for long.

I haven't really slept for months and I'm so irritable sometimes that I wonder how I have any staff left. I try to be patient with Teddy but even he has seen me crack at times and then he runs to his Poppy for comfort.

Poor Ray has been almost as much of a basket case as myself since he heard the news. He cried openly when I told him about Carla but his anger over Morton soon eclipsed his sadness. I've shown him the pictures I found in the house and it has given him some hope but it's fleeting and certainly bittersweet.

I called Bob from a phone number Welch was able to obtain and told him also about the facts according to Ms Gilmore. He was devastated by my story and made me promise to call him back as soon as there was more information.

I've called him everyday since then and tried to offer him some comfort but I have precious little of that to go around.

Finally on Thursday the 20th of February I got the news I had been waiting for. I was woken by my phone in the early hours and made a quick dash to answer it up before it woke anyone else in the house.

"Hello, Grey speaking,"

"Mr Grey, I'm Mr Morgan calling from Freetown medical centre in Little Rock Arkansas."

I hold my breath at his words and wait for him to speak again because I'm momentarily speechless.

"I have the results of the forensic dentistry tests that we carried out," he pauses and I suddenly find my voice.

"What, what are the results," I ask softly in a voice that is not my own.

"I can say with a 100% of accuracy that the body that was recovered on the 12th of January is that of Carla May Adams. The files we obtained from her dentist was enough to establish the identification but we also performed DNA analysis to be certain."

He drones on for over a minute about the tests that were compiled but I stopped listening once he mentioned the name. I fall down to the ground and hold the phone shakily with my hand as I let it all sink in.

The words Carla May Adams play on repeat in my head and without warning I let go of my emotions and allow a single sob to escape from my lips.

It wasn't Ana, it's not my Ana, I think with unimaginable joy. But ultimately my joy is fleeting as I remember that my mother in law is truly dead and nothing can bring her back.

I hang up abruptly on my caller and slowly make my way to Ray's bedroom. Teddy's Poppy is very much awake as I knock on his down as he answers almost immediately.

I tell him about the phone call and he too looks momentarily relieved and then deeply saddened by the news.

Together we tell the rest of the family but not before we pause for a moment and allow everything to slowly sink in.

Over the preceding days we prepare for the funeral, I wanted to wait until Ana was found but Bob just couldn't face waiting any longer than necessary. So with a heavy heart my whole family along with Ray, Bob and a scattering of Carla's friends, laid Carla to rest.

We chose to bury her in a beautiful cemetery close to where we live, so that Ana can visit her anytime once she returns. Bob agreed with the final resting place completely, knowing that Carla would want to be close to her daughter even in death.

I bought a pretty bouquet of white roses to lay on Carla's grave, as a tribute to her daughter Ana Rose Grey. Ray placed lilies and Bob left a single pink rose because he said pink was always her favourite.

I didn't allow Teddy to come to the funeral, he's still so confused by death and he was never very close with his Grandma. Maybe if he was older I would have taken him but at five I thought he was just too young. Gail and Taylor stayed with him back at the house, along with little Ava he was equally to young to attend.

As the funeral ended I stayed by the graveside with Ray and Bob as everyone else departed. We were silent for a long time until finally I broke the peace to try to offer Bob some comfort.

"Carla died protecting her daughter and grandchild and for that I will always be grateful. I hope she's in peace now and glad that she helped Ana when she needed her the most."

"I'm sure she is," said Ray kindly as he patted Bob on the back.

"I don't believe she will ever truly be at peace until Ana is returned to her family," said Bob sadly.

I was silenced by his remark and instantly subdued, he's right of course we need Ana back before Carla can genuinely be a peace.

I thought about Bobs words for weeks after the funeral, I woke up nights tormented by my need to bring her back. Unfortunately our search had hit a dead end and every possible lead had uncovered nothing new.

I was feeling hopeless once again and had started to slip back towards my depression.

Many nights I laid in bed trying to see Ana's face but I couldn't even imagine her anymore. I shut myself away from the world and only faced it to see my son and spend time with him.

My mother tried to get me to talk to Flynn but I couldn't face it and even the pills she gave me brought me little comfort.

Something woke me tonight I looked around my bedroom momentarily dazed and then realised it was my phone.

I thought about letting it keep ringing but not wanting it to wake Teddy I finally picked it up.

"Grey speaking," I said drowsily.

"Christian," someone asked shakily.

For a split second I was rendered speechless by the voice on the other end of the phone, then filled with uncertainty I answered.

"Ana?"