“When Susan told me the story, I told her that maybe a soul or someone in your life was reaching out to you. Someone you probably didn’t know in reality but existed in your subconscious. A twin perhaps?” Mary had approached while Susan spoke.
Next to me, Trent tensed. I felt the pressure in his grasp. Our eyes met and without speaking I knew what he’d felt. Krisha.
“Was there someone?” Mary asked as if she’d picked up on our silent communication.
I looked at her, nodding. “I had a twin sister. His wife. She died at childbirth a couple of weeks before I met with my ill-timed fate. Easton left me for dead, Zayne saved me, and I spent almost four years in a coma. Trent believed I was his dead wife the first time he saw me since he had no idea she had a twin and neither did I.”
He sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “Krisha had the same dreams. We just didn’t understand what they meant, and no one could tell her. She decided to accept it for what it was, some angel looking over her.”
This time, I squeezed his hand, telling him I felt his pain too. We’d both lost someone we loved and we were both stronger for it, because of each other.
“Wow,” Susan’s thrill made me smile before she said, “When, and only if you want to, would you let me sell your paintings if you start painting again?”
I laughed, my first in many days. “I will, and yes, you can.” Then something clicked. “The initials at the bottom of the paintings read DC and I know the family surname I lived with was Daniels, do you perhaps know what DC stands for?”
Susan nodded. “DavinaCroire.”At my baffled look she added, “Van Gogh was your favorite artist and one of his languages of choice was French. When you began painting you chose something in keeping with both your lives. Croire is French for ‘Believe’ You always believed everything would turn out for the best.”
“And it did.” Laughter bubbled out my throat and had Trent smiling. “Wow.” Fascinated, I palmed my cheeks. I now understood the forged Van Gogh painting Zayne kept. All this time a little piece of my past lived with us. I looked at Susan. “There’s a Van Gogh painting at home that—”
“‘The Starry Night’was your first forged painting. Zayne didn’t provide me with the clues about how he got it, only that when he walked in here and recognized the initials on your paintings, he began piecing the puzzle together.”
“Wow.” I blinked. “He knew and never mentioned it.”
“Because he couldn’t get your hopes up without having all the facts, sweetheart,” Trent said.
I nodded then reached for Susan’s hand. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that I met you then because of what you’ve given me today, I can’t tell you the value you’ve added to my life and I appreciate you.” I stood and Trent followed.
Standing, Susan laughed. “I’m just glad we were able to help. Now it’s time to write your new story. You’ll probably love it.”
I startled. “Those words,” I whispered.
“Zayne said to tell you that after I’d given you every bit of information on your past. At the time I had no idea what he meant, now I do. I wish you all the best, Davina.”
“Ashrika.” And at the tilt of her head, I added. “My name is Ashrika Morrone Shaw.” I heard Trent’s sharp inhale and looked at him. “Yes.”
His smile was indescribable, more so the twinkle in his eyes. I’d missed it and now I was ready to reap its benefits along with his love. “One more stop,” he whispered as we walked out.
I no longer needed to ask where. I’d follow him anywhere.
An hour and a half later, I stood back as Trent pulled opened the door to a storage facility. And as he flicked the light switch, I gasped, taking in the neatly designed room made to look like a little girl’s castle. Scattered around the entire room sat gifts in all shapes and sizes, some wrapped and others not. I walked forward and fingered them. They all had labels. A gift for every birthday, Christmas, and various other school gifts ranging from age one to age twenty-two.
Laughing, I turned to Trent. “I don’t understand.”
“It looks like that for every gift they bought Krisha, your parents bought you one as well, probably waiting for the day you came back.”
“They really loved me.”
He nodded as I neared a dresser that held various jewel pieces. My gaze fell to a pendant similar to mine, only the other half. I picked it up and held it close to mine, puzzled. Trent neared me and took the loose half and did something with mine still attached to my neck. When his hands dropped, I gasped. The two halves fitted together perfectly.
“Wow.”
“Your parents bought these for your nineteenth birthdays. When Krisha and I married. One half was meant for you to keep while the other half you were to give to your true love or husband.”
“Krisha gave you hers?” I asked. He nodded. “Nicky mentioned you had one like mine and it’s weird how I forgot to ask you how about it.” I unclipped the loose half of my pendant, opened Trent’s hand, and placed it in his palm. “This is for you. My true love.”
Smiling, he fingered the piece. “You sure you want me to have this?”
“Serendipity.” Slipping my arms around his neck, I pressed my body close to his and drew his head to mine. “Kiss me, Trent Shaw.”
