Chapter 20
Mariah’s bed in her apartment was in a forest of green and Mariah’s hair was the only red in the midst of it. A cool breeze danced through the open windows in her bedroom, bringing with it the sound of children playing on the streets, two men engrossed in a loud conversation, and voices of people singing contemporary worship songs from another apartment.
Mrs. Dolores, from Mariah’s church, had come over to invite Mariah over for their weekly fellowship at her house, but Mariah had been feeling too blue to even answer the door. Now she lay alone, eyes closed, on the bed in green shorts and a green sports bra.
She wasn’t feeling blue at all. She was feeling very green and not with envy, but anger and intense attraction to a certain man with emerald eyes.
She had been discharged from with hospital with medication and lifestyle instructions three days ago and had been stuck at home—Alicia had come over to tell her she had been given the week off to recover.
Since then, her mind wandered far into the possibilities that surrounded her life now, and as much as she hated to admit it, her mind wandered to James Sorenson more times than she thought was possible.
He had opened her to thoughts that she didn’t think were possible for her. Thoughts of a past, of family, and of finding real love in him.
When they had been stranded at the Sorenson manor, she had seen just how caring and loving James really was—courteous and caring. In those moments with him by the fireplace, she had imagined a life with him, growing old and having many kids. It had been beautiful.
When they returned—against all odds--the invitation to have dinner at his house had melted her heart and the dress and shoes he had sent over had stolen the melted pieces.
She had been so expectant, thinking he wanted to offer her a job at Ore, but deep down wanting him to tell her he had feelings for her. She had been this close to telling him how she felt, then he told her the unexpected.
She recalled his words, ‘…Anastasia Chandler didn’t die at that accident, she’s standing right in front of me now, only she lost her memory.’
His words were burned in her mind. She hadn’t been able to explain why she felt drawn to Anastasia’s favorite places, but he had. She hadn’t been able to explain her sudden familiarity and intense attraction to him, but he had, all with his pronouncement.
As much as she wanted to deny it—she did deny it to his face—she had seen the picture James had handed her. James wouldn’t trick her by creating fake photos of a little girl who looked exactly, as she had looked when she was younger.
How would he have even known what she had looked like? Also in the photo was a woman with bright eyes and a warm smile, who looked exactly like Mariah did now.
He couldn’t have been trying to trick me, could he? I didn’t feel like I was being tricked—
The shrill ringing of her phone broke through her thoughts.
She fished her phone from under her fuzzy green blanket and held it to her face. With a small smile, she swiped the screen to the right, thus answering the call.
“Hey, Vee,” she greeted Veronica the way she always did since she was a teenager.
“Hey, Mariah,” Veronica’s peep voice came the next second. “How many times do you think I’d have to kick your door with Air Jordan shoes before your door falls off its hinges, or your neighbors come and throw me out?”
Mariah laughed. Veronica was at her door again, uninvited as usual. “Give or take three times.”, Mariah responded.
“I see,” Veronica laughed. “Do you think you can make it to your door in time?”
“Maybe,” Mariah laughed and forced herself to sit up.
“I can take that,” she heard Veronica say and the call was disconnected. Then she heard the banging on her door. Instantly, her feet hit the ground and she ran to let Veronica in before the girl actually broke her door down.
Mariah threw her door open to face Veronica with her hands raised in a fist ready to strike the door again.
She was dressed in a pink skater shirt that brushed past her mid-thigh, a grey Cami tucked in, a pink leather jacket, and, true to her word, pink Air Jordan shoes. Over her shoulders hung a grey backpack.
“What are you?” Mariah tilted her head to the side and leaned on her door frame. “Pink Panther, high school edition?”
“No,” Veronica shrugged and slipped through the door into Mariah’s apartment. “House of Rayne: Pink Diamond Collection. They seem to think Veronica Singer could pass for a Barbie girl.”
“And are you not a Barbie girl?” Mariah asked pushing herself off the door frame and shutting the door.
“Touché,” Veronica smirked and looked around the living room. “I’m talented like that,” then her eyes settled on Mariah.
Mariah shook her head and began returning to her room. She knew the fashion wheels were turning in Veronica’s head and she needed to get out of firing range before the jab came. “Any reason why you’re matching with your bedroom.”
“It’s my house after all,” Mariah answered and disappeared into her small hallway. Veronica followed and they both merged into the bedroom.
Veronica took one look at the bedroom and laughed. “It’s either I didn’t get the memo that Saint Patrick’s Day was pushed forward or my godsister has become a leprechaun. The red hair and green shorts are a big giveaway though.”
“Ha ha,” Mariah teased and walked over to her bed. She dropped on it like a log of wood, burying her face in the sheets. “For real though, I think I might be going insane with the color green and it’s all James’s fault.”
Mariah sighed as the bed dipped. She knew Veronica was on the bed now. “I feel you,” Veronica’s voice sounded next to her. “I think I had—” she laughed. “—I still have that problem. Even after what the douchebag said to me when we met in the hospital.”
“You saw him?!” Mariah asked, raising her head. Veronica was lying face up on the bed, with her legs dangling at the edge. Her bag was nowhere in sight.
“I did. Last Saturday when I came to the hospital to see you. James is… he has that effect on people. All the girls at the academy were in love with him by the time I came in, but he didn’t see any of them. He didn’t see me either. But I lasted longer in his sight than most of them did, probably because our families did business together. Even though Anastasia had been assumed dead by the time I came to the academy, he never could see anyone else because of Anastasia. She reminded him of his mother who had died.”
Mariah’s breath caught in her throat and goosebumps prickled her skin. Veronica must have heard her gasp because she turned to lie on her belly and stare into Mariah’s eyes. “And if his words are true... because of you—the girl he lost.”
Mariah’s breath became shallow and she shook her head. He told her!
“I’m not,” she quivered. “I’m not Anastasia. I’m not that girl.”
“James seemed convinced you are,” Veronica muttered. Mariah could see the gears in Veronica’s head turning. “And he’s hardly ever wrong,” Veronica said and sat up straight on the bed. “He killed any plans of ever dating me.”
“No!” Mariah gasped.
“It’s all right,” Veronica laughed. “I don’t want a man who does not love me. Plus, he has never shown interest in me. It was just difficult for me to accept. Men normally groveled around me.”
Veronica narrated the conversation she and James had when they met at the hospital. When she ended, she sighed and said, “Now I just… I need to figure out if he’s out of my grasp because of a lie or, are you Anastasia?”
“I don’t know…” Mariah whispered. She felt tears well in her eyes, feeling sympathy for her god-sister. Even if Veronica didn’t want to say it, Mariah guessed it must have been strange for Veronica to hear that the person he likes is a supposedly dead girl who so happens to be your god-sister.
Mariah sighed, “It’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Veronica took one of Mariah’s hands. “If I wanted to be logical, the only girl James ever belonged to is Anastasia, and now another girl has come into the picture—you.”
She went on, “If there’s a way for the two people you have ever loved to become the same person, wouldn’t you have taken the chance too? What we need to do is prove whether you are Anastasia or not—not that it matters, he likes you either way—but for closure. Too many players in the game need the closure.”
“And what if it turns out that I am…Anastasia,” Mariah asked, the very thought rattling her to the bone. “What do I do then?”
“Well,” Veronica let go of Mariah’s hand. She crossed one arm around the front of Mariah’s shoulders and placed the other one under Mariah’s chin. “That’s for you to decide what you wish to do with that new identity. But I’ll have you know James Sorenson was made for you. I know how you feel about him too. I can see it in your eyes,” a teasing smile came on Veronica’s face and she jumped on Mariah, tickling her. “You like him, don’t you?”
Mariah grinned in return trying to wiggle out of Veronica’s hands. “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do,” Veronica laughed. “I don’t know how I missed it before,” Veronica let out a loud sigh and let Mariah slip away from her claws. “I’m happy for you though. I really am. I’m happy that you have a shot at a beautiful life, but first, we have to clear up this Anastasia issue.”
“How will we do that?” Mariah asked, lying back down on her back on the bed. “How do we prove if I really am Anastasia?”
“Leave that to dad,” Veronica smirked. “He’ll find a way,” Veronica said, lying down on the bed again. She laid down on her back next to Mariah and they linked hands.
There was nothing spectacular about Mariah’s ceiling but their eyes were fixed on it and Mariah sighed. She was going to get the truth about a possible past—no matter how sad it might be.