Thank you all! I appreciate all of you and I hope you continue to enjoy this journey!
Chapter 7
Five Years Ago
Hard rain pelted against the windows of their home. There was a flash of light and then the loud sound of thunder. Anna stood anxiously by the window, wondering if her daughter was out in the cold, scared and afraid. Her eyes welled with new tears and her hands came up to her chest.
It had been forty-eight hours since Emmy's disappearance. Two days since she had seen her baby girl.
Behind her, she could hear John pacing. It's what he did now: paced. All day and all night. Sometimes, he was on the phone while he paced, trying to find out answers. Sometimes, he was stuck alone within his thoughts.
Anna's parents were in America for their anniversary trip. They would be arriving back today. It was the earliest they were able to get their flight, once they had heard of Emmy's disappearance. She was ready to see them. But more than anything, she wanted her daughter. She knew the statistics: the longer her daughter was missing, the least likely they were to find her.
A hard knock came at the door. She jumped and turned, to see that John had stopped pacing. His eyes had turned to the door. Then their eyes met. Anna swallowed hard. There was a tiny shred of hope within their hearts, but they were both too scared to show it on their faces.
John made it to the door first. There was a pair of officers and John quickly let them in, out of the cold.
Immediately, Anna noticed the plastic bag in one of the officer's hands. In the bag was one of Emmy's rainbow wellies. A distressed sound left her lips and her head shook.
"That…that's Emmy's….where…where did you find it?"
The slip of fingers within hers let her know that John was right next to her. Their hands clutched tightly together. They were holding on to one another, trying to keep each other afloat.
The light drip of rain against their wooden floors, brought Anna back to the officers. It was then that she realized one of them was DCI Maxwell. He had a hat on his head and raindrops were falling down onto his face. Slowly, he took his hat off and held it within his hands.
"Why don't you both sit?" DCI Maxwell said. Anna knew she should offer for them to do the same, but they were dripping wet, her couches were new, and she just wanted to know what they were going to say.
"No," John spoke, his fingers holding onto Anna more tightly. "We just want to know what you've found."
"Mr. and Mrs. Bates," the other officer spoke. Anna didn't know his name. If he had said it when they walked in, she missed it. "We believe that Emmeline drowned in the river. This wellie was washed ashore."
John let out a low whimper.
"No," Anna strongly stated, her head shaking. "She couldn't have. She was taken."
"Mrs. Bates," DCI Maxwell carefully began.
"No," Anna broke in. "Have you found her body?"
"We haven't."
"She was taken. Someone stole our daughter. There is no way she disappeared from us that quickly and made it to the river. I don't believe it. We were only turned for a split second!"
"Anna," John tried.
"No!" She screamed, jerking her hand away from John's. "There is no way! Are you even sure that is her wellie?"
"Well, not yet. We'll run the DNA on it. The river likely washed most of it away, but we'll try. It is her size though."
"That doesn't mean anything," Anna argued. "There are plenty of children who could own those same wellies!"
"Mrs. Bates, I know this is difficult for you, but…."
"Difficult?! Difficult?! Our daughter is gone! And you are not searching for the person who stole her from us!"
"We haven't stopped searching, Mrs. Bates. But if we do find your daughter's DNA on this wellie, we will have to assume she wandered off toward the river, fell in, and drowned. The river is being searched; we are still interviewing people. This isn't over, yet."
-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-
Now
The smallest trace of DNA somehow was left on the shoe. Anna never understood how, but they we able to connect the wellie to her daughter and a few days later, they found the second one. It was enough evidence for them to determine that Emmy had died. Anna refused to believe it. John darkened in his grief. And over time, they were torn apart, unable to be that force that they had been before Emmy's disappearance.
And now, their daughter was returning to them. It seemed almost like a dream. Like it was one of those dreams where everything was right again, but when they woke up, it would be gone and their world would be dark again.
A car pulled up in front of their house and Anna clasped her hand over her heart.
"John! Mum! Dad! She's…she's here!"
She could feel her heart hammering in her chest. There were footsteps rushing toward her and they all gathered around her to look out the window. Anna wanted to rush to open the door and step outside, but she was afraid she would overwhelm Emmy. The therapist had told them to be patient with her and to allow her some space.
A light knock came at the door. Anna inhaled sharply. She and John slowly walked together toward the door and her parents remained by the window, holding Butler to keep him from getting too excited.
Anna's hand reached out for the knob, but then she hesitated. Her body froze and she turned toward John. Her lower lip trembled slightly and she was finding it hard to take the next needed step. John gave her a small, encouraging nod. Then he placed his hand over hers to help her open the door.
In front of them stood the new Yorkshire caseworker and Emmy. Emmy was wearing one of the outfits Anna had dropped off the day before when they had met with her and her new trainers. It made a small smile grow on her lips.
"Emmy," she brightly pushed out. "You're home!" She hated the way that she sounded. It was way too bright and airy. The little girl eyed her carefully, stepping back slightly into the caseworker.
"Emmy," John's warm voice spoke next. "Come on in, sweetheart. Your grandparents and Butler are anxious to meet you."
At the sound of Butler's name, Emmy's face relaxed. She peeked inside the door and over to the corner where Elsie, Charlie, and Butler were. She looked to Anna and John to make sure it would be alright for her to go inside.
"Go on," John encouraged.
Emmy quickly stepped inside, bypassing the two of them and heading straight toward the dog. She said a quick hello to Elsie and Charlie, but her main attention went to the dog.
"He's so cute!" She exclaimed, scratching his head. "Can he get on the floor? Does he like to play fetch?"
Anna watched as her father carefully made his way to the floor, taking Butler with him. Then he leaned down, using the couch for support. He placed Butler next to Emmy, who was now sitting on the floor and gave her the gentlest of smiles.
"He loves fetch," he told her. "We can take him out back in a little bit." Emmy smiled, but didn't say anything else. Instead, she just continued to give Butler a good rub on his belly.
"He likes you," Elsie said, bending down next to Charlie. She nearly toppled over, making Anna gasp, but her father caught her and helped her next to Emmy.
It was a beautiful sight, the three of them together. Though, Anna couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous that her daughter felt more at ease with her parents than her and John. Her eyes teared up slightly and she quickly shook them away. She couldn't cry, not now. For Emmy, she had to be strong.
"Alright," the case worker stated, drawing Anna from her thoughts. As she turned, she saw that John was just as enamored as she had been watching her parents and the dog with Emmy. "Here are her things. Please let us know if you need anything else. We suggest you continue with therapy."
"Yes," Anna replied. "Thank you."
John took the things from the case workers hands and Anna walked her to the door, thanking her and telling her goodbye.
Once she was gone, Anna turned back to her parents and Emmy. They were all laughing and Emmy was having fun with Butler. Anna grabbed the duffle from John's hand and lifted it up.
"Emmy, want to come upstairs with me and help me unpack your things? You can come and see your bedroom."
"Nah," she answered, not even turning to face Anna. "I'll keep playing with Butler."
Anna tried to swallow the deep disappointment. She tried to remind herself that Emmy connecting to anything within their house was a good thing and that it was going to take a lot of small steps before they were close again.
"Why don't you let me take it upstairs and you can stay down here with Emmy?" John offered. But Anna shook her head.
"No, it's alright. I'll just run these up, put her things in her wardrobe and I'll meet you all out back."
"As long as you're sure."
"I am."
Anna ducked her head, inhaling deeply, and rushing up the stairs. The tears were being unrelenting and if she didn't get upstairs soon, someone would hear her sob. The moment she made it to Emmy's room, the sob finally escaped. She covered her mouth with her hand and told herself that she needed to get it together. Closing her eyes, she worked on composing herself. Once she had calmed herself some, she walked over to the bed and set the duffle on top. It wasn't large.
Opening it, her heart constricted in her chest. Right on top, sat a picture in a dirty frame. She lifted it up and her eyes fell on a woman with Emmy. Emmy looked a little older than when she had gone missing. Anna realized she hadn't had an idea of what the woman looked like that had stolen her Emmy. But now she did. The picture mocked her, showing her a life that she should have had. Again, tears filled her eyes. She wanted to throw the picture in the trash. How could she let her daughter keep this? It was her captor.
Uneven footsteps could be heard in the hallway and then entering Emmy's bedroom. Anna quickly wiped under her eyes and turned toward the noise. John stood in the doorway. He had this look about him that made her think that he wanted to pull her into his arms, but that he was holding himself back. Things were different between them now. It couldn't be like it was before.
Anna almost said something, but before she could, John's eyes narrowed into the picture in Anna's hands. He stepped forward and took it, his face darkening.
"It was in her bag," Anna's voice broke. "I don't know what to do with it."
"We can throw it away," John simply stated.
"No, we can't. It's hers," Anna's lower lip quivered. "She'll be upset with us. But I don't want it sitting out. I just….I don't know what to do…."
"Let's ask the therapist about it," John suggested, though he looked angry and Anna didn't blame him. The photo elicited the same feelings from her.
"Right," Anna replied. She took the photo back from John. As her arm reached up, John let out a low gasp. He tried to reach for her arm, but she pulled it back quickly, turning and placing the photo at the very bottom of the bag.
"What was that?" John asked, his voice now full of worry.
"Nothing," Anna stated, keeping her head down. She tugged at her sleeves to make sure they were pulled all the way down. "I need to put these clothes up. Go and play with Emmy outside. I'll be down in a little bit."
"Anna…."
"John, go," she pleaded. She could hear him sigh, but soon after, she heard his steps walking away from her.
-X-X-X-X-X-X-
The day had gone well enough, John thought. Emmy enjoyed Butler. They spent nearly the entire afternoon out back. She mainly spoke to Butler or about him. She also seemed at ease with her grandparents. He guessed they were less demanding, or at least it felt that way in Emmy's eyes. He and Anna tried to be easy going and tried to make her feel at home. But Emmy barely spoke to either of them. She was polite, but she avoided them when she could.
After the day was over, they showed her the room. She had scanned it and said it was nice. But when they asked her if she remembered it, she said no. They told her good night and then stood outside of her closed bedroom door for a little while, until it just seemed odd.
The two of them went to bed. Anna disappeared into their old bedroom and he walked to the guest room, but he couldn't sleep. He laid on his back, staring up at the fan that spun round and round above him.
Finally, he sat up with a loud sigh. He decided he would check on Emmy. But when he made it to her room, he saw that Anna was already standing at her door with the door slightly ajar. Anna was in her nightgown and a robe, with her hands clutched around the front.
Upon hearing him, Anna turned and placed her finger over her lips.
"She's awake," Anna whispered. His ears perked up and then he frowned, he heard crying. When he glanced down and got a better look at Anna, he could see that she had been crying too. Anna pointed for him to walk back toward the master bedroom.
"Our daughter is sad because she's with us, John," Anna cried, the moment they entered the bedroom.
"She'll adjust Anna. This is all a big change for her. But she'll be happy here, with us," he promised.
"Will she? How can you be so sure? We have no idea what that monster said to her! She doesn't even remember us," Anna said through her tears.
"She will. It's only been one day," he calmly tried to assure, though he had the same fears.
"And then what?"
"What do you mean?"
"You said she'll be happy with us, but what happens when you leave again?" There was a harshness in her words that made him stagger back slightly. He brushed his hand over his face and shook his head.
"I'm sure I can transfer back here. I don't know, Anna. It's something we'll figure out later," he finally stated.
"And Casey? What does she think about that?"
"Why are you bringing all of this up now? Our daughter is home. Can't we just be happy about that?"
Anna's hands flew over her face and her shoulders sagged. John stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"We'll get through this, Anna. We have our Emmy back. Everything else can stay on hold. She's all that matters now."
To be continued...
Emmy is home! Now they have to learn to adjust to one another as a family. More soon! And thank you again for reading!
