Chapter 65

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"We grew up here, the two of us. You were born in Southville as well. This town holds so many memories." Sam rubbed the stem of her wine glass. "In case you were wondering, I came back here for the trial. I've been living away for a long time. Seventeen years."

"My age."

"That's right. After you were born, I moved away. I came here several times, but I'd never have thought...Okay. I'll start from the beginning.

"Your mom was my best friend. We became friends in elementary school. She was everything I wasn't — quiet, a dreamer, a romantic, but there were also many things we had in common; being poor was one of them. We weren't poor by choice, and our families did try, but I guess not everyone can.

"We used to sit in my parents' attic, talking about how one day we'd leave this town and go to see the world together. We imagined living in big houses, getting married, and having kids who would be best friends.

"Abby's life wasn't easy. Neither was mine, but she hadn't been dealt a good hand. I remember the day her dad died. All of us were shocked, and as if one tragedy wasn't enough, Abby's mom got ill shortly after. My friend had just turned fifteen when she passed away.

"Then, in the middle of all the heartbreak, Adam came to town. He was bouncing between foster families, not staying long enough in any. Although he was handsome and had this bad boy vibe around him, he was also kind and smart, very different from the reputation that preceded him. I still remember how it all began.

"One day, a couple of guys started to tease Abby on the playground. Shy as she was, she just lowered her eyes and stared at her feet. Adam heard what they'd said, and that day after school, he got into a fight with them for her. As Abby and I were inseparable, the three of us formed a group. I started to go out with a guy named Jake, and he joined our little gang. The thing is, we didn't realize Adam and Abby would end up together until we caught them kissing one day.

"As different as they seemed, there wasn't a more beautiful couple in the entire school. With him, she blossomed. She became more confident,  and he loved her like crazy. That guy with the looks of a playboy was a one-woman man, a keeper as they say. Even Abby's grandmother warmed up to him after seeing he treated Abby as if she were a princess."

Sam took a sip of her wine, staring at the beach in front of us.

"One evening, Adam came to see me alone. He looked nervous. When I asked him what happened, he simply said 'Sam, I'm marrying the hell out of that girl.' He was terrified she'd say no. I smile every time I remember how his hand trembled when he showed me the ring he'd chosen for Abby. It was a beautiful jewel he'd spent all his savings on. When Abby's grandmother passed away, he proposed. They got married, and the result of that enormous love is sitting in front of me now."

"Did they want me? They were so young..."

"They did, Ellie. They were young, and some didn't understand. People seem nice in this town, but some of them are mean. Back then, everyone was even more judgmental. Abby and Adam were happy together, until..." Samantha stopped talking while the waiter placed the dishes we'd ordered in front of us.

"Why did he enlist?"

"Money. They had a house, but it wasn't worth a lot. He tried to get a job. Months passed, and no luck. You were born, and your parents ran out of the little savings they had. Army seemed the only option. He convinced Abby to let him do it. He wanted to take her and you with him after his deployment, but it didn't happen. When he died, a part of Abby did as well. I flew here as soon as I'd learned what happened."

"Weren't you living in Southville anymore?"

"When you were born, my father's cousin called him to tell his business was growing, and they needed people. The salary was great. My older brother had already been in college, thanks to his sports scholarship, but I was nineteen. Moving to the city would let me study, and my mother was fed up with living in this town. I didn't want to leave Abby, knowing Adam would go away soon, but I followed my family."

"You kept in touch, didn't you?"

"We did. We wrote letters." Samantha smiled dreamily. "Abby was an artist. She loved drawing, and those letters were like works of art. You'll say it was old-fashioned, but for us it was exciting. Besides, the internet connection wasn't good back then.

"I decided to study photography, and as I was good at it, a magazine hired me. I started to travel a lot. I'd send Abby postcards and photos, and she wrote me letters weekly. After Adam died, they weren't colorful anymore, and she stopped drawing, but I still cherished each of them."

"It must've been hard for her without him."

"It was. I was trying to convince her to move to the city with me. I wasn't making a lot at first, but we'd manage. She refused, saying that Southville was where she met Adam. He was buried here, and even after his death, she didn't want to leave his side."

"She wasn't happy without him, was she?" I lowered my eyes and poked my salad.

"She was trying hard for you. She worked hard, and she was a really good mom. You were always taken care of, and she dressed you like a little princess. You always came first for Abby. I don't know how much you know about what happened to her, or how you know about her at all. After all, you were too little to remember."

"I know she died, " I swallowed, "and I know who...who did it." Aiden's warm hand covered mine.

"Meeting that man was her disgrace." Sam sighed. "I blamed myself, Ellie. I have a bad guys radar built in. If I'd seen him, I would've dragged her to the city with me no matter what.

"In a while, I went on a long trip. It was a massive project I finally got in South America— wildlife photography, my dream. When I came back, I expected to see tons of letters, but there wasn't any. I found it strange, so I called and called Abby, but nobody picked up the phone. I got another project in Europe. I called her almost daily, but I couldn't fly back until nearly a year later. The first thing I did when I arrived was rechecking the mailbox, still hoping, and the second was packing a suitcase and coming here."

"What happened?"

"You might know that the police station isn't in Southville, but in a big industrial town north from here. I talked to the detective in charge, a tough guy, Steve..."

"Donovan, my uncle. Well, my mom's uncle."

Seeing Samantha's huge eyes, I couldn't help telling her my story.

"Ellie, I asked about you so many times! He never told me. I had no clue he knew where you ended up!"

"I was adopted, and my mom is great. I'm so grateful to her. She gave me everything I could dream of. I had a good childhood, the best childhood."

"Abby would be happy to know that." Sam squeezed my hand. "I'm just sorry I had missed all those years. As your godmother, I'd always dreamed about seeing you grow up, and I promised Abby I'd be there for you if something were to happen to her."

"So, my uncle didn't tell you where she was?"

"They said she'd abandoned you. I told him they were insane to think she'd do that. I brought them some of her letters and forced them to look into her disappearance again. I knew it in my gut it had to do with that guy she was seeing who, surprise, was married. Abby didn't know it; I hope you're not going to believe she was the kind of girl to break a family. She was devastated when she'd learned he had a little boy your age."

"Did she love that other man?"

"Not the way she loved Adam. He was her true love, the one you never forget. I guess when she met Daniel, she thought she could give you something better. He had money, and Abby naively believed you'd have a father figure in your life. She'd been alone for four years. Don't ever judge her for that decision, Ellie. Being a single mother in a small town isn't easy. First, she was judged because of Adam, then because of having you so young. Anybody would get tired of it. She wanted to get out, and with no degree and no money, what else was she to do?"

Sam fiddled with her glass and bit her bottom lip.

"Besides, there's something else you need to know."

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