“Okay, I’m sure there’s a lot you want to know about your Mum, Melissa. So I think it would be wise if we would just sit down and you ask me everything you want to know and I’m going to try to answer your questions. Okay?”

“That’ll be nice …”

So they all sat down and talked for hours. Well, Maggie talked most of the time and Melissa just asked her question after question and sometimes told Maggie what she could remember about her mother.

Maggie explained to her that the two of them had met one summer when they were still teenagers. From that year on, they had tried to meet as often as they could. But then Catherine met Mr. Parker and was very busy with the work at the Centre and then later with her daughter. Plus the fact that Mr. Parker didn’t want her to spend time with other women who didn’t belong to the centre. So they weren’t able to meet very often. But despite this fact, Maggie had got to know Melissa a bit. And Catherine had known Jarod from the day he was born.

Maggie also told her that she and Jarod had met for the first time when she had been a baby.

Melissa was very surprised to hear that she and Jarod had known each other so long without knowing it.

But, like Maggie said, then everything had started getting worse: Jarod had been kidnapped and when Maggie told her this, Catherine immediately knew that it had to do with the Centre. That’s when she had decided to free Jarod.

But it had cost her years to work out a plan. And, like Melissa already knew, it had failed.

Hoping that they would soon see their son again, Maggie and Charles had moved to another town only Catherine knew about. And when they realized that it hadn’t worked out they soon went to another state, still optimistic that Catherine would find them.

“And the rest is history.”

Emily ended her mother’s recitation.

“Yeah, Jarod had already told me the rest.“

 “And now you’re going to see your Mum in about six weeks from now.”

Jarod added.

She just nodded.

“Is there anything we could do for you at the moment, Melissa?”

It was the Major who really looked concerned.

“I’m just tired. I guess I should get some sleep. Yeah, that’s what I need.”

“Okay, then I guess we all leave you alone and see you in the morning at breakfast. Okay?”

“Yeah, thanks, Maggie.”

Emily hugged her, followed by her Dad and then her Mum.

Major Charles paused at the door.

“Jarod, are you coming?“

Melissa smirked when she saw Jarod’s cheeks getting red.

“No, Dad. Actually, Melissa and I share this room.“

Charles only hesitated for a moment, but then only tried to not grin and closed the door.