Maya and Sorcha's worst fears were confirmed when the latter visited her doctor. Sorcha did indeed have cancer. Fortunately, there was still enough time to treat it with chemotherapy. Surgery was reserved as a last resort. Maya had hope that Sorcha would beat the cancer and go back to being her usual self before long. It was because of that flame of hope that Maya made an effort to accompany Sorcha to her chemotherapy treatments right before visiting her sister (now named Petunia) in the NICU.

At first, things seemed like they would work out for the best. Sorcha had been reacting well to the treatments and was starting to get a little better day by day. Then everything changed when Sorcha found out that not only had the cancer somehow gotten worse, but it had spread throughout her body. Maya was devastated when Sorcha gave her the bad news. She wasn't sure how she could handle the possibility that her former nanny would be dead within the next several months. She wanted to help in any way she could, but she wasn't sure what else she could do to relieve the aches and pains Sorcha was experiencing. It ended up becoming so bad that Sorcha was moved to hospice to live out the rest of her life as painlessly as possible.

Maya would visit her former nanny in hospice every day, ready to help her with whatever she needed. One day, Maya was visiting Sorcha and tending to the usual things Sorcha wanted when the latter asked her something.

"Can you write a letter for me, Maya?" Sorcha asked weakly.

"What for?" Maya asked curiously.

"There's something Roisin needs to know before I die..."

"What is it?"

Sorcha's eyes wandered down on the ground and then back up to Maya's level before she spoke again. "Well... I haven't been entirely truthful with you or your family. See... Roisin isn't actually my cousin. She's my daughter."

Maya looked at her, puzzled. "Your daughter?"

"Yes, my daughter. I had her when I was only 14. It was about two years before the war ended. I lost my virginity to a farm boy whose father was killed in action... and he got me pregnant. My aunt and uncle had been raising me since I was a baby, and they'd recently gone through a stillbirth at the time. So when Roisin was born, they decided to raise her as my cousin and the rest is history."

"And she has no idea whatsoever?"

"None. She's forty-three years old. It's time she learned the truth."

Maya didn't question her former nanny's wishes and went to work on writing a letter to Roisin about the secret that would change everything. When she was done, Sorcha informed the nineteen-year-old girl that Roisin was living in Dublin, Ireland, and that she should give the letter to her in person. Knowing fully well that there was a chance that Sorcha could be dead within the next couple months, Maya got on a plane to Dublin to find Roisin.

When she first arrived in Dublin, Maya didn't imagine that many of the native Dubliners would give her funny looks, especially if they heard her speaking with a fluent Irish accent. Thankfully, most of them were friendly and didn't treat her any differently from other American visitors. It made finding Roisin a lot easier, that much was certain.

Maya had the letter tucked away in her purse, far enough that she could retrieve it with little difficulty. She held her purse as tightly as she could to her person. She wanted to make absolute sure that the letter didn't fall into the wrong hands and that the letter would reach its destination safe and sound. However, she wasn't sure how Roisin would take the news. Considering how long Roisin had gone without knowing who her cousin actually was, maybe she wouldn't take it very well. Maybe she wouldn't care. Or maybe she'd be pleasantly surprised by the revelation. Maya didn't know enough about Roisin to get a clear idea of who she was as a person. She regretted not asking Sorcha about Roisin as a person before coming here.

Maya went around, asking for a Roisin McKenna. Some of the people she asked didn't know who that was, but Maya eventually managed to find someone who did know. It was a man by the name of Brian Murray, and he was actually Roisin's husband. Maya was a bit shocked to find out that Roisin was married, and it was to a man who appeared to be around her age no less.

"So why are you looking for her?" Brian asked when he'd confirmed his identity.

"Well..." Maya began. "It's a long story, but her cousin is dying. I want to make sure that Roisin can see Sorcha one more time before she dies."

"Ah..." Brian just studied her like she was a historical statue. "I see."

Maya didn't want to reveal the life-changing secret just yet. She wanted to wait until she'd met Roisin in person to reveal everything.

"Why don't I bring you home and introduce you to Roisin?" Brian suggested. "Sound like a good idea?"

Maya wasn't quite sure what to say to that, but then, what other choice did she have? "Of course," she answered. "I don't see why not."

Brian just smiled. "Oh, good. I'm glad you agree."

So she decided that she would follow Brian back to the house he shared with Roisin on 21 The Poplars, Monkstown Valley, Monkstown. She was at least somewhat curious to see what their home life was like.

When Maya went inside Roisin and Brian's home, she was a little surprised at what she saw. Scampering about the house were three children who all appeared to be school-aged. In Roisin's arms, she was holding a baby who happily sucked away at her exposed breast. Maya just smiled at her host.

"Hello, Roisin," Maya just said.

Roisin was a little startled. "How do you know my name? And what are you doing here?"

"Oh, uh, funny story." Maya just chuckled nervously. "I know your cousin Sorcha. She told me so much about you... you know, about how you were as a child. Your cousin worked for my mother as a nanny when my twin sister and I were little."

Roisin raised an eyebrow. "My cousin, huh? Oh yes, she always was deeply caring towards all people... especially children. So what brings you here?"

Maya took a deep breath. "Sorcha is dying of cancer."

Roisin just gasped. "Cancer? Oh no... how bad is it?"

"It's terminal. She had to be moved to hospice because it spread throughout her body." Maya placed the unopened letter onto the kitchen island. "The staff working there says she doesn't have long. Sorcha wants you to see her one more time before she dies. Also, she asked me to write you a letter about something."

"Okay..."

Roisin picked up the unopened letter with her free hand and went off to the home office to read it.