CHAPTER THREE #2
"Yes." Angela sank into her chair, and Kiara immediately moved closer. "Um, my sister is here with me. Is that okay?"
"Of course.”
Angela felt a rush of relief that he had accepted Kiara’s presence so easily. “Thank you.”
"I'd like to ask you some questions about your adoption, if that's all right."
Angela's stomach clenched. "Okay."
"How old were you when you were adopted?"
"Two or three.”
"Do you remember anything from before that time?"
Angela glanced at Kiara, who nodded encouragingly. "No. Nothing at all. I've tried, but it's all blank."
"That's not uncommon," Jude said, his deep voice gentle. "What about your adoptive parents? Are they still alive?"
"Sandra, my adoptive mother, passed away a few years ago. My adoptive father…" Angela hesitated, not sure how much to reveal. "We don't live with him anymore."
"I see." There was a pause, and Angela could hear what sounded like typing in the background. "Were you told anything about your birth family? Given any details about why you were available for adoption?"
Angela swallowed past a growing tightness in her throat. "Not really. Just that… that my birth parents weren’t good. That they couldn't take care of me properly."
"Angela, I need to ask you something, and I want you to know that whatever you tell me will be kept in complete confidence." Jude's voice became more serious. "Were you happy with your adoptive family?"
The question hung in the air. Angela looked at Kiara, whose expression had grown concerned.
"I… I was sometimes. Sandra was okay most of the time but…" Angela hesitated, wary of revealing the truth. "But my adoptive father, Jim, isn’t a very… warm man."
The silence on the other end of the line stretched for several seconds. When Jude spoke again, his voice had a controlled quality to it that hadn't been there before.
"Are you safe now?" The question was direct, his tone leaving no room for evasion.
"Yes," Angela said, gripping Kiara's hand. "We got away. We live in town now, and he's out at the homestead. But he still comes looking for us."
"I see." The sound of more typing came through the speaker. "Would you be comfortable meeting in person? I'd like to arrange for that DNA test we discussed, and I think it might be easier to talk through some of these details face to face."
Angela bit her lip, looking at Kiara, who nodded vigorously.
"I would, but…" She hesitated. "We don't have a car. We're kind of limited to Briar Hollow."
"That's not a problem. I can come to you." Jude's response was immediate.
“Do you want to meet at the bakery?” Angela asked.
“I had considered that, but I think it might be better if we could meet somewhere privately? I’ll be bringing someone to do the DNA test, and it would probably be best not to do it sitting in a restaurant.”
That made sense, but as Angela glanced around their small apartment, she wasn’t sure she wanted him there.
“You could use one of the study rooms at the library,” Kiara suggested. “I’m working there until one tomorrow, so I can make sure a room is available for you.”
“That sounds like a good idea,” Jude said. “Would that work for you, Angela?”
Angela appreciated that he was checking with her, and it would definitely work for her. Mainly because it meant that Kiara would be there if she needed her.
“That would be fine. I’m at the bakery until noon, so meeting anytime after that would work.”
“We’ll aim to be there around one.”
“Do you need directions to the library?”
Jude chuckled, a lovely deep sound that washed over her, making Angela smile, even though she was still in knots over the whole thing.
“I’m pretty sure I won’t get too lost in Briar Hollow,” he said. “And I can look up the address of the library.”
“Okay. Sounds good.”
“See you then,” Jude said. “Take care, Angela.”
“Uh… you too.”
When the screen of her phone went black, Angela stared at it.
“Well, this is exciting,” Kiara said as she leaned to loop her arm over Angela’s shoulders.
“Is it?” Angela glanced over at her sister. “I find it a little scary.”
Kiara sighed, then shifted her chair so she faced Angela directly. “I know the unknown can be scary, but you’re going to get some answers.”
“Maybe I don’t want answers.”
“Why not?”
“Jim and Sandra always said that they rescued us from terrible circumstances. I’m not sure I want to know what they might be.”
“I don’t think you’re going to be finding out about your birth family,” Kiara said. “The only thing that makes sense is that you and the woman in the picture were put up for adoption separately, so her adopted family might not have known there were two of you.”
“Why wouldn’t they try to keep siblings together?” Angela asked.
“I don’t know,” Kiara said as she rested her arms on the table. “But I have a feeling we’re going to find out.”
Angela still wasn’t sure that she wanted to go forward. Suddenly, the unknown loomed large, like a dark entity, waiting to deal her a harsh blow.
"What if they don't like me?" The question slipped out before Angela could stop it.
Kiara's expression softened. "Angie, how could anyone not like you?"
"I'm not exactly…" Angela gestured vaguely at herself. "I'm not sophisticated or educated or anything special."
"You're plenty special," Kiara insisted, squeezing Angela's hand. "And if they can't see that, then they don't deserve to know you."
Angela appreciated the sentiment, but doubt still gnawed at her. She tried to imagine meeting this woman, who looked so much like her but seemed to inhabit an entirely different world. What would they even talk about?
"I should probably figure out what to wear," Angela said, trying to focus on practical matters.
They spent the evening talking through various scenarios, Kiara's enthusiasm balancing Angela's apprehension. By the time they went to bed, Angela had almost convinced herself that tomorrow might bring something good.
Sleep, however, proved elusive. Angela tossed and turned, her mind racing with possibilities both wonderful and terrible.
When her alarm went off at three, Angela quickly shut it off so it wouldn’t wake Kiara. Just like they always had, they shared a room, though unlike their younger years, when they’d also shared a bed, they now each had their own twin bed.
The only downside of sharing space was their different schedules. They’d had to learn to be quiet as they moved around when the other was sleeping.
After getting dressed, Angela braided her hair. She hoped to have time to come home and change before meeting with Jude and the DNA person. She didn’t really want to meet them sweaty and mussed from work.
Her stomach was a mess of knots, and she was thoroughly distracted throughout her shift. But thankfully, she didn’t make any mistakes in her baking. Patty would have been livid if she had.
Once her shift was done, she hurried home to take the quickest shower ever and then change into the blue sweater Kiara had suggested along with a pair of black slacks. Once dressed, she unwound her hair from its braid so that it lay just past her shoulders in loose waves.
The walk to the library was cold and blustery. They didn’t get much snow that stuck around through the winter, but she still hated the cold, damp days. She’d hated them on the homestead, and she hated them in Briar Hollow. There were times when she felt like she could never get warm.
When she reached the library, Angela saw a large black SUV in front of it. There were other cars parked on the street, but that one stood out in a town where most vehicles were dusty trucks.
Her steps came to a halt as she stared at the fancy SUV. She glanced at the heavy wooden and glass doors that led into the library and took a step back.
What was she getting herself into?
If Kiara hadn’t been at work, and was even now waiting inside with Jude Kessler, Angela would have turned around and left. In that moment, her fear of the unknown was far greater than her desire for answers.
But she had no choice. From the moment she’d agreed to Kiara calling Cole Halverson, she’d started on a journey of no return.
Clasping her hands together, Angela headed to the library entrance. She’d just reached out to grasp the handle of the door when it swung open.
She stepped back, preparing to let whoever was coming out to exit first. Only the man holding the door open with his outstretched arm didn’t exit. It seemed he was holding the door open for her.
“Angela,” he said with a nod, his voice familiar.
It wasn’t a question. It was as if he knew exactly who she was.
“Uh… are you Jude?” she asked as she stepped past him into the foyer of the library.
“I am.” He stepped to the side and held out his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Angela stared at his large hand for a moment before taking it. His grip was strong, and the warmth of his hand felt good against her cold fingers. He didn’t prolong the contact, releasing her hand after a gentle squeeze.
"Likewise," Angela murmured, finally looking up. Her breath caught slightly as her gaze met his.
He was tall—taller than she'd expected—with dark hair that was neatly trimmed and a shadow of stubble along his firm square jaw.
His shoulders and chest were broad beneath the black wool coat he wore, but it was his eyes that captured her attention. They were a striking light blue, framed by thick dark lashes, and they seemed to take in everything about her in one swift assessment.
"Your sister is waiting for us in one of the study rooms," Jude said, gesturing toward the interior of the library. "Dr. Reeves is with her as well. She'll be handling the DNA test."
Angela nodded, trying to find her voice. "Thank you for coming all this way."
"It's no trouble," he replied, his tone neutral but not unkind.
As they walked through the library, Angela was acutely aware of Jude beside her. He moved with a quiet confidence that made her feel even more uncertain about herself. His presence filled the space around them, and she found herself stealing glances at his profile.
"How long have you lived in Briar Hollow?" he asked, his voice low to respect the library's atmosphere, even though it was empty at the moment.
"Just over two years," Angela replied, wrapping her arms across her waist. "We moved here after we left the homestead. About a year after Sandra died."
“Was she good to you?”
That was such a difficult question to answer. Had Sandra been better than Jim? Yes. Had she been as good as the mothers in the books Angela had been allowed to read back then? No.
“She took care of us,” Angela said. “She taught us many practical things. It was because of what she taught me that I was able to get a job in the bakery.”
They reached a small study room where Kiara sat across from an older woman with silver hair pulled back in a neat bun. The woman wore professional attire and had kind eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses.
"Angie!" Kiara stood immediately, her relief evident. "This is Dr. Reeves."
The older woman rose and extended her hand with a warm smile. "Angela, it's so nice to meet you. I'm Dr. Patricia Reeves. I'll be handling your DNA collection today."
Angela shook her hand, realizing at that moment, she had passed the point of no return.