After Tom left the Residence, Fitz and I were getting ready for bed. Since Ella was in the middle of the bed, we were further apart, physically than usual. The room was quiet. The only sounds were Ella's light snores, each other's breathing, and the crickets chirping outside.
I stared at the ceiling for a good five minutes, until I turned on the lamplight, to look for the thick autobiography in my purse. Whenever I was in the mood to read something, I always reached for Preston Allan Scott's autobiography. He was a Vietnam War veteran, who later became a diplomat to Ethiopia under President Carter. I have read his book many times. There was one particular passage, in the book that caught my eye. I could not stop reading it.
'I was one of the lucky few, who were not affected by Agent Orange. The only thing that kept me sane was my wife, my love for her and thinking about finally starting a family with her. Carolyn and I were married young, right out of high school. We were married five years when I left for Vietnam. We wanted a family so much. After trying the old-fashioned way, to have a baby, we decided to try surrogacy.
Elijah and Maya Pope were willing to help us. Within five months and six attempts, Cara's eggs were successfully implanted in Maya Pope. Everything was going smoothly, until it was time for our baby girl to be born. Carolyn and I could not wait to meet our precious baby girl, Olivia Carolyn Scott. However, Elijah and Maya had other plans. Instead of giving Livia to us, they thought they were entitled to have her. Therefore, they took our baby away. They kidnapped her. Not a day goes by that Carolyn and I do not think about our baby girl. Even though, thirty-six years have gone by, we have not stopped looking for our daughter. Carolyn and I still have hope that we will reunite with our Olivia.'
I read the passage five times. I checked the copyright date of the book. The date was March 2013. The more I thought about the information, I just consumed, the more it dawned on me, why I was so screwed up.
The man and woman, I thought were my parents, were not my parents. The egomaniac head of a government espionage agency, and the bloodthirsty terrorist were not my parents. 'Thank you, Lord,' I prayed heavenward. Eli and Maya were not my parents. Preston and Carolyn were/are my parents. The proof was right in front of me, in black and white. For the longest time, I had a niggling feeling of not being able to connect with these people, Eli and Maya. Now I know the reason why. Elijah and Maya Pope were not my parents; they were my kidnappers.
Sorry for the week long wait guys! I wanted to get this chapter just right. Well, what do you think? Feel free to tell me in your reviews! Chapter 36 will be coming soon. I hope to have it posted by Friday! Until next time...Tay