Chapter 35: Eight Year Apology

Elsa POV:

It was a rainy summer day in Atlantica, one to match my mood. Jack and Kristoff had decided to come with us to meet with Vanessa. I was thankful, because I knew that my family would be here for me through the entire time.

"What's her address?" Jack asked.

I pulled out my cellphone and read the text message, "7916 Main Street."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Kristoff asked us.

"It's too late now." I shrugged, "I already told her we'd meet with her."

"Almost there." Jack murmured.

We had left the kids with Kai and Gerda earlier today, much to my and Anna's dismay. Our car pulled up in the drive way of a decent looking house in the corner of a normal looking neighborhood. I don't know, I guess I expected a lot less.

"We're here." Jack announced as we all unbuckled our seat belts.

I climbed out of the car and took a step onto the crackled concrete. Jack wrapped his arm around my waist and held me comfortingly.

"You ready?" Anna asked.

I nodded, "Let's do this."

We all walked up the steps and onto her front yard. I took a step forward and knocked on the door. It had been almost a full decade since we had last seen her. How would we react? Could I keep it together after seeing the woman who had made my life hell?

The door opened slightly, and Vanessa stood in front of us. She didn't look any different, except that she looked tired. Maybe, it was a side effect of parenting. She opened the door wider for us to enter.

"He- Hello." She stuttered.

"Hi."

We entered the house and stood awkwardly in the living room.

She motioned to the sofa, "Have a seat, you must be tired from traveling here."

"Sorry, I didn't have any one to watch Sofia if I went to your place instead." She explained.

I shook my head, "Its fine."

We were quiet for a few minutes after that. What were we supposed to say? Hey, Vanessa, how was jail? Hell, no.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Vanessa asked, breaking our silence. "I have water, but I can make coffee if you guys want-."

"Just, cut to the chase." Jack interrupted. "You brought them here because you wanted to say something. Stop wasting our time."

She lowered her gaze, "Right. Sorry."

She cleared her throat, "When I found out I was pregnant eight years ago, my entire crumbled. I lost my friends, my boyfriend, and my popularity. I'm sure I deserved it, though. It was karma for all of the hurt and pain I caused you, Elsa and Anna."

"What does this have to do with-?" asked Kristoff.

"Do you have children?" She asked us.

Anna and I nodded, bewildered by her question.

"We have two kids, a boy and a girl. They're twins, their names are Elise and Daniel." Anna explained.

"I see." Vanessa mumbled, "And you, Elsa?"

"Our son Noah was born just two weeks ago." I whispered.

"I'm glad." She smiled, "I'm sure you all must be very happy."

"When I found out about Sofia, I thought about having an abortion." Vanessa whimpered, a tear running down her cheek. "But, I didn't. Instead, I gave birth to her, and I neglected her the first five years of her life."

She wiped her eyes, "I didn't want to care for a child at the time, so I pushed her onto my cousin and her growing family."

"I thought I shouldn't have to care for a mistake that only happened because of you." She said. "I seriously had the nerve to blame a pregnancy on you two."

I gasped, sure what she had done to us was bad. But to neglect a little girl, who was not to blame for any of this, was awful.

"Looking back, that's got to be the shittiest thing I've ever done."

"Once Ariel started working again, she started leaving the girls with me." She murmured, avoiding our gaze. "I was reluctant at first, how was I going to meet this little girl who I had left alone for almost her entire life?"

"But, I fell in love with her." Vanessa smiled, "And I gained custody of her last year."

"That's great." Anna murmured.

"I hadn't thought of you two in almost eight years." Vanessa confessed, "Until, Sofia mentioned one of Ariel's friends, Elsa."

"I knew I couldn't truly be happy until you forgave me, or at least until I apologized." She sighed.

She lifted her head and met my eyes, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry for all of the pain I caused you all, you didn't deserve any of it." Tears began falling down her cheeks, "I'm sorry my jealousy and anger got the best of me, nobody deserves what I did to you both."

She lowered her head and sobbed into her hands. For the first time in my life, I wasn't afraid of Vanessa anymore. I felt sorry for her.

"I don't know if you can every forgive me." She cried, "But, I'm sorry."

I stood and walked to her; I knelt in front of her.

"Don't cry." I smiled. "You don't have to cry."

Vanessa wiped her tears, "Elsa, I really am sorry. I hate myself for what I did to you."

"I forgive you." I assured, "I forgave you a long time ago."

"Actually," I began, "I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have what I do now." I explained. "I have a wonderful husband who loves me and a son who we both love very much. I have everything I could ever want."

More tears ran down her cheeks, "But, still. Don't you hate me?"

"No." I confessed. "Sure, I had some resentment for you in the past. But, I think it was really admirable of you to apologize."

"Thank you." She smiled, wiping her eyes.

Vanessa's gaze turned to Anna, who was crying. I stood and sat next to my sister, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded, "Yes."

"I'm sorry, Anna." Vanessa apologized. "I really am sorry."

Anna nodded, "I know. And I forgive you."

I never thought that Vanessa would apologize to us for all of the pain she had caused us in the past. Eight years of heart ache for my sister and I all lead up to this moment. After, more tears and more apologies, we left the house so Vanessa could go and pick Sofia up from school.

I let out a loud sigh, "I think that went well."

Jack smiled, "I'm glad you three finally got closure."

"I'm just tired and want to go home." Anna murmured as we all climbed into the car. "I miss the kids."

"It'll be a while." Jack said, "But I miss our little bug, too."

We drove all the way back to Arendelle until it got dark. Once we arrived at Kai and Gerda's house, I was more than excited to see our son. Anna and I knocked on the door eagerly until Gerda opened.

"Hello, girls." She smiled.

"Hi, Gerda." We beamed as we entered the house.

"Mommy!" Elise and Dan shouted and ran to their mother's embrace.

Anna knelt down and hugged her children, "Hey, babies."

Kai walked into the living room, holding my baby in his arms. He walked to me with a smile on his face.

"He's missed you." Kai grinned.

I took my baby into my arms and kissed his forehead, "I've missed him, too."

Noah's bright eyes met mine and smiled. His tired smile resembled his father's so closely. Jack walked behind me and leaned over my shoulder to look at our son.

"We missed you, kiddo." Jack mumbled.

He looked up at me, "Why don't we get his car seat and go home?"

"That sounds wonderful." I sighed, "I. Am. Tired."

He kissed my cheek, "Let's go home, Snowflake."

I was glad that I was able to raise our little boy without any more bad memories. While they might haunt me occasionally, I knew that Vanessa was sorry.

"Okay." I agreed, "Let's go home."

i'll try and update the next chapter AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. i am trying to improve my writing and make the chapters longer, as you know. but this one came out a little shorty, sorry.

okay, i love you all.

~Amy.