Sure thing. Let’s do a run-through now.
Victoria stared at the clock on the bottom right of her computer screen. She’d made progress today, and that was what mattered. She saved her work and shut down for the evening. Shannon was coming over in a bit.
She walked into her kitchen, figuring they would get takeout for dinner, although she suddenly found herself fighting the strangest urge to get out the good dishes and make finger sandwiches—not that she had the ingredients, but the need was strong. Her mother’s influence, she told herself, and therefore something to be ignored. Besides, she didn’t need to impress Shannon. They were going to spend some time together, hanging out. There was no pressure, no goal beyond maybe getting to know each other. At least that was her assumption. Shannon had mentioned having too many emotions.
“She should try being me,” Victoria grumbled, heading back to her living room where she’d picked up her backpack and hoodies to make the place more presentable. She’d already put a fresh hand towel in the guest bath. Her mom would be so proud.
Right on time, someone rang the bell. Victoria used her crutches to make her way to the small foyer and let Shannon in.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi.”
Shannon stepped into the condo, and they stared at each other.
Victoria had no idea what to say, so she went with the obvious. “It’s like we’re distant cousins or something, forced to spend time together because it’s Christmas, only we don’t know each other.”
Shannon smiled. “And we’re not related.”
“Agreed, but it seems like we are.”
Shannon nodded. “You look better. Like you’re healing. How do you feel?”
“Pretty good. I’m bugging my doctor for a walking cast. So far he’s unimpressed by my arguments. In our last email exchange, he told me that when I’d completed my orthopedic rotation in medical school, I’d get a vote. But until then, I was just background noise.”
Shannon grinned. “He sounds like a fun doctor.”
“He is. He’s known me since I was a kid.” She waved a crutch. “Shockingly this isn’t my first time with a broken bone. I was kind of an active kid, and well, shit happens.”
Victoria paused to take in Shannon’s appearance. Her clothes were work-worthy: slim black pants and a pretty sweater. But what most caught her attention was how much the other woman looked like Ava. They were about the same height, with similarly colored blue eyes. Even the shape of their faces was eerily alike. The blond hair was just one more thing in a list ofHey, this is the kid I wanted.
Victoria forced herself to turn away. “Sorry,” she said. “I was thinking how much you look like my mom. It’s strange.”
“For me, too.”
She led the way into the living room where she had a bottle of white wine waiting.
“I was thinking Chinese,” she said. “There’s a great place that delivers.”
“Sounds good.”
They agreed on a menu, and Victoria tapped on the app to place the order. When that was done, she poured them each a glass of wine, then looked at her guest.
“So tell me about growing up. You never knew you were almost adopted?”
“I didn’t have a clue,” Shannon admitted. “My mom didn’t say anything, and I had no reason to ask. I guess my grandfather knew, but he never hinted.”
“Once she decided to keep you, the information wasn’t relevant,” Victoria said, wondering what it must feel like to knowthere were two families who had been desperate to have you as their daughter. “But she never had other kids.”
“No, and she never dated or anything. Not until recently with Luis. I know she struggled financially when I was little. I wasn’t aware of it, of course. She never said anything.” Shannon paused. “Sometimes, when I was being a brat, my grandfather would sit me down and tell me all the things my mom gave up to be there for me. He talked about how hard she worked and stuff.” She looked at Victoria. “I always felt so bad then and promised to be on my best behavior.”
“Which lasted two hours.”
“About that.”
“You were a kid,” Victoria pointed out. “You did the best you could.”
“I did. I knew she loved me more than anything. We did stuff together all the time. It was nice.”
