He’d essentially been an orphan, too. But look at him now. He was a mega-successful businessman with a beautiful wife and child. The most frightening part of all of this was how badly she wanted to know Damien — how badly she wanted him to love her.
How was it possible, through all the hurt she’d endured, for her to still want to be loved? It was ridiculous. Some would say she was simply setting herself up for failure. And they’d probably be right.
She looked down at the picture again and stared at eyes the exact same shape and color as hers. They both had dark hair; they both had the same smile. Shared genes were on full display here. She’d never expected to see anyone in the world who looked so much like her, but then she’d never thought she’d find him. Heck, she’d never truly believed in his existence.
But he was real. And she was about to meet him. Would the meeting help heal her, or would it shatter her ability ever to give her heart away?
“Breathe,” Bryson whispered.
She hadn’t realized she was now holding her breath. Bryson had been so good to her, understanding that she needed silence, that she needed to brood. He was another man she didn’t deserve, but she was just selfish enough to hold on to him for as long as he would stand beside her — and all of her dysfunctional, irrational behavior.
It was strange to think that she had not only a brother, but a sister-in-law, too, along with about a million other relatives. And she was an aunt! Not that she’d want to meet the whole passel of them all at once. Not this first time — too much pressure. If, and it was a very big if, they invited her to come back, she could meet them gradually.
Right now, it would be too overwhelming. She wouldn’t be able to enter the room — wouldn’t be able to speak. What would they expect from her? Damien was hugely successful when they found him. If they thought she’d be the same, boy, were they going to be disappointed.
She was just Misty. She was nobody special. That was the most depressing thought of all. Yes, Bryson kept telling her that she was special, and he even made her feel that way, but for too many years she’d had people saying the opposite, saying she was a hopeless case, not adoptable, too many issues, too much work.
Ever since she turned three, after her first foster mother had passed the only people who’d taken the time to know her had been either those she was thrust upon, who at least got a paycheck to have her around, or those who wanted something from her — like Jesse.
Now she knew that she was related to the Andersons. Whoa! When she researched them, she’d become paralyzed with fear. Why would Joseph have bothered to show up on her doorstep? This man was loved and respected, and would probably win the next presidential election if he chose to run.
There wasn’t a single good thing he hadn’t done. His family had the golden touch — even Damien seemed to have inherited the Midas gene. Whatever they began always ended in success. And not just a little, but world-domination-style success.
Talk about intimidating.
Though she didn’t want to think about it, she had to wonder what her life would have been like if she’d grown up with them, had cousins to play with, been able to attend the schools they did. If she’d had support from people who loved her.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered as the plane touched down and growled and vibrated during the jolting ride on the landing strip.
“You can, Misty. I know this family. They will love you, and you will love them. It will be as if you’ve been with them your entire life.” Bryson turned her face toward his.
“But I’m a nobody, Bryson. They’re rich and powerful, and they have each other. I’m an intruder, and Damien is probably horrified I exist, embarrassed that I’m showing up.”
That would be the worst. If he looked at her with disgust, or pity, or coldness. If he looked through her instead of at her.
Pulling out the note from Damien’s wife, she read her words again.
My dearest Misty,
How excited I was to learn that a miracle was granted to us and you were found. We’ve searched for years, and it just goes to show that you were meant to be a part of our family. I know we mean nothing to you right now, and you’re probably feeling confused, but please come and visit us — give us a chance to know you, and give yourself a chance to know us. I look forward to meeting you.
Sierra
Misty rubbed her thumb over the words again and again, some of the ink smeared from the tears she’d cried while reading it, tears she hadn’t even noticed falling until she saw the blots on the fancy paper.
Sierra sounded like a lovely woman, at least from her letter, but that didn’t mean that Damien wanted to know her. It only meant that he’d married someone fantastic. Misty was worried though, that Damien wouldn’t want this. After all, his wife had been the one to write to Misty — the letter hadn’t come from her brother.
She didn’t want to be the source of anything negative, of problems between Damien and his wife. She’d caused others enough turmoil during her miserable life.
Existing in the streets and fighting for everything had taught her at a young age how to survive, but it hadn’t shown her how to live, and it certainly hadn’t taught her how to trust. So, here she was, about to meet her brother’s larger-than-life family. What if she ended up throwing up on their expensive shoes?
That would certainly make a wonderful first impression.
As the plane pulled up to the gate, she felt her vision blur. This wasn’t good.
“Misty!”
Bryson’s voice was coming to her from far away. Maybe it was good. Maybe she would just sleep for a while. Then, when she woke up, this would all have been a dream. Her entire life would turn out to have been a dream, and she wasn’t really an orphan, had never been with Jesse, and wasn’t flying to meet American royalty.
But then, she also wouldn’t have met Bryson…
Chapter Seventeen
“…anxiety attack. Her eyes are fluttering. Ma’am, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes? That’s good. Look at me. Good. Try to focus on me. No. Don’t shut your eyes again. Magnolia, open your eyes!”
Magnolia? Who was Magnolia? They were shaking her as they spoke, but she didn’t recognize the name. Who was this person?
Misty clawed her way through the dark tunnel, then wished she hadn’t. A bright light was shining in her eyes, and several people were standing around her. What was going on?
Where was she?
Her heart began racing as she tried to catch her breath. Tried. She couldn’t breathe.