Chapter 6 — Olivia Comes to the House
Olivia lived only two states away.
She agreed to visit the following weekend.
Vanessa almost canceled twice.
Daniel did not pressure her.
But Sophie had a question.
“Is Olivia Mommy’s sister?”
Vanessa smiled.
“Not exactly.”
“Best friend?”
Vanessa looked toward the front window.
“A long time ago.”
When the doorbell finally rang, Vanessa froze.
Daniel opened it.
Olivia was forty-one.
Short blond hair again, though now streaked with gray.
She held a small cardboard box.
Vanessa stood across the room.
For several seconds, neither woman moved.
Then Olivia smiled.
“You still bite your lip when you’re nervous.”
Vanessa started crying.
Olivia did too.
No dramatic speech.
No instant embrace.
Just two people staring at the missing twenty-five years between them.
Finally Vanessa walked forward.
They hugged.
Sophie watched from the stairs.
Then whispered to Daniel:
“Mommy found her.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yeah.”
Olivia brought the original blue notebook’s missing second half.
Vanessa stared.
“You had this?”
Olivia nodded.
When Briar House separated them, the notebook had been split accidentally among belongings.
Vanessa took the front portion.
Olivia took the back.
For decades, each woman possessed half of the same teenage book.
Neither knew the other still had hers.
Olivia placed both halves together.
“Looks ridiculous.”
Vanessa laughed through tears.
“We were ridiculous.”
Then they began reading.