It was a year later when the Henderson family parked their car in front of a country house, the three of them staring up at it with nearly identical expressions of excitement while the baby only played in her car seat. It was the biggest house they've ever seen with a fresh coat of paint and a wraparound porch that would be perfect for lazy evenings. The shutters were pulled back and the windows open to allow the house to air out, the stained glass windows of the attic still showing the mosaic of a vivid sunset.

"This is the Jibade family home, huh?"

"Yeah," AJ nods, her nerves making her stomach ache. Her childhood lay on the other side of that heavy wooden door with the glass panels and she wasn't so sure now that she was ready to embrace the bad with the good.

"You okay, baby?" She nods without taking her eyes off the house, swallowing hard. Can I actually walk through that door? "I'm gonna get the kids out, you join us when you're ready." She hears the car doors open and close, then the excited chatter of Tucker that faded as they grew closer to the house.

"Mom, Abbi, can you guys hear me because I really need some parental compassion right about now." There was no answer, not that she expected there to be, but she still felt the sting of tears. "Alright, let's get this over with." She gets out of the car and makes her way up the two steps and then across the porch to the front door, resting her hand on the metal doorknob. It was warm under her hand, fitting perfectly now.

I used to have to use both hands to open this door, always so eager to run inside and show Mommy my newest find.

She pushes the door open and steps into the impressive entryway, the space wide and open with a small table beside the door for car keys, a grand staircase directly across from the door that curved to become part of the second floor banister.

I was a little girl, running into my abbi's arms and squealing as he twirled me around. We'd dance together in the parlor while Mommy played the piano and I'd watch them dance as the sky turned purple in the twilight; I'd sit in Abbi's office and watch as he did paperwork or read with Mommy in the attic.

Tucker comes running out of the parlor on the right, a little brown-haired girl chasing after him. A familiar woman comes next, her hair swept to the side with a pair of round sunglasses keeping the waves out of her oval face. Wearing a chiffon slip dress and a pale green tassel necklace, Emmeline Brae was the definition of beautiful.

"It's weird being back here, isn't it," she greets, coming forward to wrap AJ in a hug. AJ has missed her cousin; glad she could finally give her a real hug instead of penning out another letter.

"Yeah," AJ nods," I just keep remembering my parents." They pull apart, Millie taking a second to get a good look at AJ. She couldn't look that well after the trip here and her recent pregnancy, dressed simply in a white dress with small white beads sewn all over the silk that twinkled in the light whenever she moved.

"How was your trip? Come into the parlor and tell me everything!" AJ follows with only some reluctance, ready to fall onto her bed and sleep for at least a month after the trip to Yorkshire. The parlor doors are slid open, a cry of," Surprise!" making AJ jump backwards with a yelp. There was a crowd of people cramped in the room, all of them holding champagne flutes, simple glass tumblers of whisky, or water.

"What's this?"

"A welcome home present," Evy answers smartly as she steps forward, holding a sleepy child in her arms. "Millie thought it would be the best way to make your parent's spirits were kept alive." AJ looks around her in shock, taking in vaguely familiar people she knew were relatives or friends of the family; Lawrence, Jonathan, and O'Connell were huddled together near the front of the room, each sporting a grin.

"This is great, you guys, thank you." She takes a glass of water from her cousin, smiling down at the little blonde boy that turned his head just enough to look at AJ. He wasn't quite yet one and he had his father's blue eyes, already tanned after spending time outside. "This must be the little guy you wrote me about. What's his name?" Evy had stubbornly refrained from telling her friend, stating she'd reveal it when AJ came to visit.

"Alexander." AJ presses her lips together for a moment to keep the tears at bay at the name, knowing her uncle would be happy. "Rick and I wanted to name him after someone dear to us, so we settled on Alexander Reese O'Connell. Is that okay?"

"It's perfect."

"And what about your newest edition," Millie demands with her hands on her hips. "Henderson refused to tell any of us and Tucker would only run off with Clementine." Clem was Millie's baby girl, the same age as Tucker and determined to make the poor boy like the pink crayon.

"Her name is Dorothea, but she seems to prefer Dot." The sound of giggles gave AJ a split second to turn before Tucker launched himself upwards, AJ catching him in her arms and hugging the three year old tightly. As she pressed her cheek against his soft hair, she couldn't help but think her parents would be proud of her.

Keep watching over me, guys, and I'll see you again one of these days.

Abbi = Dad/Daddy in Arabic.

You can find Millie's and AJ's outfits on Polyvore; my username there is secretly-a-fangirl and th collection for this is called Treasures in Egypt. The always wonderful thewhoreofcookies over on Polyvore created Millie's outfit, so make sure to tell her what a great job she did!