THE REUNION

          Faith and Ethan arrived in Urbandale, Iowa in the early afternoon. They drove around for some time before they located the orphanage where her mom works. The place is a suburbed area and had a lot of green trees and gave a relaxed feeling, that serene tranquillity that Faith always craves. The orphanage had a gate that leads into its driveway of tree groves. Faith felt her heart thumping as Ethan drove into the driveway. She had worn a black turtle-neck blouse, jean pants, a cream coat and a black hat that had hidden most of her face. 

        She knew she had looked like her mother, although there was no picture of her mother anywhere she doubts her mother would miss the resemblance. They finally got to the compound. It was a large compound, amid the rustic setting of trees and grasses, it was quiet and peaceful with different buildings scattered around. The kids were playing outside and some nuns stood around them discussing and watching the children playing to administer first aid treatment to any injured child. 

       Other nuns walked around, going about their businesses. Some men and women sat on the chairs situated under the trees, discussing. Faith watched them and something knotted in her stomach, her breath quickened and Ethan noticed it and grabbed her hand, looking into her eyes. 

       "Relax, it would be okay." 

      "What if the Reverend's report is not correct? What if she is actually dead? What if..." 

       "Shh, it's surprising how we believe bad news over good news. You never doubted Douglas when he said your mother was dead, but you doubt this? And stop the what-ifs, they never really get anyone anywhere. Alright?" 

     She removed her cap and looked into his eyes and was reassured again. She nodded her head and wore her cap back. 

       "Let's go," he said and unstrapped his seat belt, went out of the car and held the door open for her. She went down and he grabbed her hand tight and they walked towards the building they hoped was the reception. 

      A bunch of young sisters were discussing in the room and laughing when they came in. All eyes turned to them as they went in and every discussion ceased and they were greeted by the sisters. The one in charge walked up to them and smiled. 

      "Hi." 

       "Hi," they chorused. 

       "Please have a seat. We would inform Mother Superior about your presence." 

      Faith wanted to protest that they were not there to see their Mother Superior or whoever, but Ethan dragged her and they sat on the chairs in the reception. Faith leaned closer to Ethan's ear and whispered.  "We weren't supposed to come empty-handed." 

      "I have thought about that too," Ethan replied. 

       "You know, I have never donated anything to the orphans before, never really thought of them." 

       "Ethan chuckled. "If you grew up with my mom, you would know that it is a lifestyle. We donate to the orphanages around us in San Francisco, every month. It's like a family ritual and we all grew with it." 

    Faith turned to look at him.  "But, you have not given any since you came to Los Angeles." 

       "Who said that? Last I remember we just started dating a couple of weeks now and you never knew anything about me until a few days ago." 

       "Yeah, that's right." 

    The sister came back and smiled at them.  "Mother Superior would see you now. This way please." She led them to a wide, bright hallway and stopped at the door where the plaque read: Mother Superior. The sister opened the door and led them in. 

      The office was a chaste one, the only furniture being a shelf filled with books behind the Mother Superior's desk and her desk filled with all kinds of religious things, ranging from a  large rosary to a cross with Jesus, a small statue of the virgin Mary, clutching her hands together and tilting her head to one side, name plaque, a big Bible and few religious books. The paints were plain white and there were no wallpaper coverings, the only art in the room was the drawing of the last supper. 

      Faith wondered if these people vowed everything about their lives in chastity. Mother Superior, a big woman with a cheerful face, ushered them to the seats in front of her. The sister that had brought them in left. 

        "So, how can we help you? Did you come for a freewill donation or to adopt?" 

      Faith and Ethan exchanged quick glances. Faith wanted to speak, but Ethan squeezed her hand and spoke up instead. 

        "We came for a freewill donation and something else." 

        "We came to find my mother," Faith put in immediately. "Marilyn Childress, I believe you know her?" 

        "I know her of course, one of our amiable cooks. She volunteered to cook for us as part of her contribution to our work." 

       Faith removed her cap. "Please, I need to see her. I am her daughter." 

      The woman's eyes widened as Faith removed her cap and she clutched her mouth.  "Holy mother of God! The resemblance. She always speaks of her children, Joshua and Faith. You are Faith?" Faith nodded with a bitter-sweet smile. The woman turned to Ethan. "And you are Joshua?" 

        "No, no, he is my boyfriend. Joshua didn't come because he thinks our mother is dead. She changed her name." 

         "She had to change her name for some reason. Oh, my God. You look exactly like your mother." 

       "Can we see her now, please?" 

        "Sure," Mother Superior said and pressed her bell. 

         Marilyn was just done cooking dinner and had dished them into a cooler, while her colleague sister Maria placed them on the rack. Marilyn couldn't wait to go out to the yard and play with the kids until she was exhausted and then she would go home to her lonely house a few blocks away from the orphanage and sit with Sekani, her dog throughout the evening, then eat dinner, sleep, wake up the next morning and come back to the orphanage. It had been her routine since she left that asylum and decided to use her life to serve God. 

      The only little change in her routine was when she goes to the market to get foodstuffs for herself and her dog. She never knew that her most earnest prayer had just been answered. 

       "Sister Marilyn, someone is here to see you," a young sister came into the kitchen and said to her. 

      Her heart flew. No one knew her from anywhere. She recalled that clergyman that had seen her there last week. She remembered he was one of the young priests back then in Oak Park. Could he have told Father Bernard that she was still alive? Could Father Bernard have contacted Alfred and was he here to see for himself that she was still alive? Before she could turn and ask the young sister who it was, the girl had disappeared. 

      She wiped her hands on her apron and pulled it away from her body and went and hung it on the kitchen hanger. "I will be right back," she said to her colleague and left the kitchen with a racing heart. 

       "My mother is truly alive. Did you hear when that Mother Superior said I and Joshua's name without effort? I mean she couldn't have guessed right if my mother hadn't been here." 

      Ethan held Faith's hand tight as he noticed that she was nervous and excited at the same time. They sat under one of the trees near the kitchen. The wind rustled through the leaves, making the leaves clap.

      Marilyn met the young sister who had given her the information outside, the young girl pointed towards a young man and a woman seated under a tree

 Her heart sank, her children were here! She thanked the young sister and started hurrying toward the duo, her heart kept thumbing. 

       When she got closer, they stood up and she saw the man's face. That wasn't her son. That was not Joshua and the woman's face was hidden under that cap she wore. Her steps slowed down and she squinted her eyes at them. 

       Faith couldn't believe she was standing face to face with her mother, her hands tightened and she swallowed hard, she didn't even know what to do as cold sweat broke out on her skin.  Ethan on the other hand was marvelled by the shocking resemblance. The only difference was that the woman was older, and Faith was her carbon copy. Being confused and totally disconcerted by the resemblance, he looked at Faith and squeezed her hand to say something, not knowing that Faith was dumbfounded too. 

      "Hi, I heard you were looking for me," Marilyn said with a smile. 

       They even smiled the same. No wonder Mr Prescott had treated Faith the way he did. She reminded him of her mother, Ethan thought. 

      "How may I help you, son?" 

       Ethan cleared his throat.  "Hi, I'm Ethan Floyd," he said the only thing he could think of at that moment and stretched out his hand. 

       The woman took his hand and smiled.  "Let's go inside one of the children's classrooms and talk or do you prefer here?" 

       "Mother," Faith called softly, tears rolling down her eyes. 

      Marilyn wasn't sure she heard her right. She stared at the young woman, who slowly took her hand to her cap and removed it. Her eyes widened and her heart stopped for a while and started beating again, fast, faster. She felt light-headed and didn't realise she was falling until the young man reached over and caught her. She stared at the young woman standing in front of her, shedding tears and her own tears began to pour. 

       "Faith? Faith? Is..." she started to say. 

     Faith nodded and quickly strode over to her, she opened her arms and received her daughter who fell into her arms. She hugged her tight, closing her eyes, wishing she could hold her daughter in her arms forever. 

      "Oh, my daughter, oh, my daughter," she kept muttering and relief seethed through her whole body. 

       "You are alive, you are truly alive," Faith kept saying with tears. 

      Ethan left the mother and daughter to catch up with themselves. He walked away and went and sat down on the next seat farther away from them. It was so touching and he wondered what he would have done if he was in her shoes. 

       Faith hugged her mom who smelled like curry and thyme tighter, wishing that moment would never end. They stayed like that, weeping and holding each other. 

         Faith watched Ethan, a few minutes later, when she and her mother were past their mother and daughter reunion moment. She was thinking about how blessed she was to have him by her side. Her mother returned with two cans of soda and tapped her shoulder, she turned to look at her mother, and she smiled down at her. 

      "Sorry, this is all I could find. I don't know your preferences." 

       "This is fine." 

       Her mother sat beside her and glanced at Ethan.  "I know it's none of my business, but I don't see a wedding ring on her finger, I would have assumed he was your husband. Who is he?" 

        "Mom, I'm your business, you don't need to say that if you want to ask me anything about myself. You are my mother, come on. He is my boyfriend." 

      Tears welled up in Marilyn's eyes and she nodded.  "I thought you would hate me so much." 

     Faith slid her hand into her mom's and interlocked their fingers.  "To be honest, mom, for the greater part of my life I did. I hated that you left without a hint and never came back for us, for me." 

       "Oh, Faith..." 

    Faith chuckled with tears in her eyes. "I used to think that one day, you would just snatch us up and run when we were coming back from school, I waited for you every day on the porch waiting for you to walk back home and say you were back from your trip but you never did. I thought you never loved me enough, I thought you were never a good mother and I hated you, I hated you for leaving me at the mercy of my father. I never knew what you were suffering. I'm so sorry for thinking that way, "Faith said, the tears now falling freely. 

      "Oh, dear, it's only natural that you thought that way." Her mother took her in another embrace and patted her back. 

       "I'm glad you are alive, that's what matters to me," Faith said and sniffed. 

     They pulled away from each other and her mother wiped the tears on Faith's cheeks. 

         "What of your brother Joshua?" 

   Faith looked down at her fingers.  "Joshua is in LA, he grew into a fine young, he fulfilled his dreams." 

       "Of making money and getting a big house?" 

     Faith nodded before she answered.  "Yes. He is a CEO."

       Her mother's eyes gleamed with joy.  "Do you live in the same house? How is Los Angeles? Is your father there?" 

      Faith shook her head.  "We grew apart, he left home five years after you left and dad is dead, he died four years ago." 

       "Oh," Marilyn said. 

        "Joshua looked for you mom. Maybe, he did not look deeper, he thought you were dead and so did I until I went to see Father Bernard. He said one of the young priests back in Oak Park was transferred here and on his visit to this place he saw you." 

       Her mother nodded. "I had to change my identity, my past was hunting me and I wanted to start afresh. I wanted to serve God with new vigour." 

       "How could you still serve God after everything that happened?" Faith asked. 

       Marilyn stared at her stunned.  "What are you saying?" 

         "I mean he let you suffer like that and never for one day vindicated you.  He gave dad all the power to hurt you and still let him win." 

      Marilyn smiled.  "Listen, Faith. Do you ever wonder why you bear the name Faith?" Faith shook her head.  "When I was pregnant with you. We had an accident, your dad and me. It made me go into labour in the seventh month. I had lost a lot of blood and surgery couldn't be carried out because of that. I was in severe labour and the doctors said that only one thing could be done. One of us had to die, it's either you or me. Your father said to terminate the baby, but I refused. I told them that I would have my baby and none of us would die. 

        "I told God that I wanted to have my baby and still be alive. I told him that Joshua was still a kid and needed a baby sister and a mother to grow and he listened to me. I gave birth to you to everyone's surprise and I survived. We both survived, although you were premature, you still lived. I called you Faith when I was strong enough to see you, because it was your faith and my faith that kept us both alive, so God doesn't just sit back and watch us suffer. He has his own ways of doing things. 

       "Don't you know that your coming here is an answered prayer? For all these years, I have asked God to bring my children and me back together although I didn't know how, but I believe he has answered that prayer." 

    Faith wiped her tears.  "I will call Josh for you," she said and dialled Joshua's number, hoping that he answers. That was the number Charlie had given her one certain time, but the line was always redirecting her to voicemail and she would always drop a message telling Joshua to call her back, but he never calls back. 

      Just as she knew it, he didn't answer and it redirected her to voicemail. She cleared her throat.  "Hey, Josh, it's me. Please, call me when you get this, it's about mother." she glanced back at her mother, not wanting her to know that they have not been on good terms, she said.  "I love you, brother. Make sure you call me." She took down the phone and smiled at her mother who smiled back at her. 

     Her mother glanced over at Ethan again.  "Why don't you tell me more about your boyfriend and introduce us properly?" 

      Faith glanced at Ethan and smiled.  "He is one of the best things that had ever happened to me, you know. He had been so perfect and I know it's always like that at the beginning but I know Ethan is a good person 

Aside from loving me, he is a good person and I know that he would never treat me badly. He is humble and adapts easily although he owns a multi-billion dollar company in San Francisco and I love him too. "

      "Sounds nice to me. So you don't have any doubts about him?" 

        "Not at all. I feel safe with him and I know he is the kind that would walk any miles with me. He has been a great help to me since I met him, he helped me overcome most of my fears, he held my hands when I needed support, he believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself and he is one of the reasons I started looking for you, he is just so perfect...don't tell him I said that." Both women laughed. 

       "He is a wonderful person from what you just said. How long have you been dating?" 

       "Couple of weeks now, but we've known each other for nearly two months and I belt you, he is the best person you can ever know. I always tell him that he is near perfect, because no one can be perfect, which is true, but to me, he is a perfect man." 

       "Can you call this young man over, so I can give him a hug?" Marilyn asked. 

        "Of course, mom, he deserves your hug." 

        They both laughed. 

 Hello readers, I keep seeing reviews of people saying I updated late and I get quite surprised because I try my best to update every morning at least one chapter and that's always on my busy days. I just noticed our different time zones and knew that was the cause of the delayed update in some countries. I apologise if you are not getting updates as quickly as you thought, bu t I also try my best to give you timely updates. I urge you all to bear with me please and continue reading. 

      Thank you for choosing to read this book, your reviews keep me going. I appreciate.