Tears !!!

"Anna, where are you?"

 I turned to see Mrs. Edgewood—my grandmother—standing in the doorway. Her presence was like a balm to my soul, radiating the kind of warmth and care I hadn’t known in so long. She was dressed elegantly, as always, her silver hair perfectly coiffed, but it was the kindness in her eyes that struck me the most.

“Good morning, Anna,” she greeted me, her voice as gentle as I remembered.

“Good morning, Grandmother,” I replied, a smile spreading across my face as I approached her. It still felt strange, yet comforting, to call her that. To be someone’s granddaughter after all this time.

She stepped forward and took my hands in hers, squeezing them gently. “It’s been far too long, my dear. I’ve missed you.”

“And I’ve missed you too,” I confessed, my voice barely a whisper. There was so much I wanted to say, but the words seemed stuck in my throat, tangled with all the emotions I hadn’t let myself feel for years.

“Shall we sit?” she suggested, her voice calm but carrying a note of concern. She led me to the small seating area by the window, where we both settled into the plush chairs. For a moment, we just sat there, the silence between us filled with unspoken understanding.

“I’ve been so anxious to see you, Anna,” she finally said, breaking the silence. “To hear about everything you’ve been through. We were all so worried when you disappeared, … living with the Idris family, I couldn’t believe it. How did you manage all those years?”

I hesitated, the memories of my time with the Idris family rushing back like a flood. “It was… difficult,” I began, trying to choose my words carefully. “When Mr. Idris found me, I was so lost. Not just physically, but inside. I didn’t know who I was anymore, or where I belonged. He took me in and gave me a place to stay, and for that, I’m grateful. But life there… it wasn’t easy.”

My grandmother’s brow furrowed with concern. “What do you mean, Anna? Were they not kind to you?”

“Mr. Idris was kind,” I acknowledged, my voice soft. “But Samuel… he wasn’t. He never wanted me there, and he made sure I knew it. He saw me as an intruder, a burden that his father had taken on. He resented me, and he didn’t hide it.”

I looked down at my hands, now tightly clasped together in my lap, trying to find the strength to continue. “It was more than just coldness, Grandmother. Samuel went out of his way to make me feel unwelcome, to remind me every day that I didn’t belong. He would do things… cruel things. He destroyed things that were important to me and said things that cut deep. And I… I felt so alone.”

Mrs. Edgewood reached out and gently placed her hand over mine, the touch grounding me. “Oh, Anna,” she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow. “I had no idea… You should have been here with us, with your family. We would have protected you.”

I swallowed hard, the emotions I had kept buried for so long threatening to spill over. “I didn’t have a choice,” I finally said, my voice trembling. “When Mr. Idris asked me to marry Samuel, I thought it was what I had to do. He told me it was for my good, to secure my place in the family, so I wouldn’t be left alone again. And I… I wanted to repay him for everything he had done for me.”

My grandmother’s grip on my hand tightened slightly. “So you married him… out of obligation?”

I nodded, tears now brimming in my eyes. “Yes. It was a marriage in name only, a contract of gratitude, not love. The ceremony was cold and empty. Samuel… he looked at me with such disdain, as if I were nothing more than a nuisance. I thought… I thought I could make it work, that maybe with time, things would get better. But they didn’t. They only got worse.”

Mrs. Edgewood sighed deeply, her expression one of profound sadness. “And Mr. Idris… he truly believed this was the best for you?”

“I think he did,” I replied, my voice barely audible. “He thought he was securing my future, giving me a place to belong. But it felt like… like I was being traded as if my worth was tied to this marriage. I felt trapped, like a bird in a cage, with no way out.”

Tears began to slip down my cheeks, and I quickly wiped them away, embarrassed to be so emotional in front of her. But my grandmother leaned closer, her eyes full of understanding.

“Anna, you have nothing to be ashamed of,” she said softly. “You were doing what you thought was right, what you thought you had to do. But no one should have to live like that, especially not you.”

She pulled me into a gentle embrace, holding me close as I allowed myself to cry. It was a comfort I hadn’t felt in so long—a feeling of safety, of being cared for.

“You’re home now,” she whispered, her voice full of conviction. “And you’ll never have to go through that again. We’re your family, and we’ll make sure you’re protected, that you’re happy.”

I nodded against her shoulder, the weight of her words settling over me. For so long, I had felt alone, trapped in a life that wasn’t mine. But now, here with my grandmother, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I could start over. That I could find a way to live a life that I chose, not one that was chosen for me.

We pulled apart, and she looked at me with a seriousness that made me realize she had more to say.

“Anna, you’re stronger than you think,” she said, her voice steady and full of warmth. “You’ve survived so much, and now it’s time for you to find your path, to live a life that you choose. Not one dictated by others, but one that brings you joy.”

I took a deep breath, her words resonating deep within me. “I want that,” I whispered, the realization hitting me with full force. “I want to find my path.”

“And you will,” she assured me with a smile. “We’ll make sure of it together. You’re an Edgewood, Anna. You have the strength of this family behind you.”

The morning light continued to fill the room, casting everything in a soft, hopeful glow. For the first time in years, I felt a sense of possibility, a sense that maybe I could reclaim my life, my identity. With my grandmother by my side, I knew I could face whatever the future held with courage and hope.

As we sat there, the sounds of life outside growing louder, I felt something shift within me. The fear, the loneliness, the sense of being trapped—it all began to fade, replaced by something new. Determination. Resilience. And, most importantly, hope.

I wasn’t just Anna, the girl who had been lost and found. I was Anna Edgewood, and it was time to reclaim my life.