Elation filled me knowing we were so close.
What was even more of a shocker was finding out that one of Clara and Charles’ grandkids actually lived in our house about twenty years before we bought it. That’s how I assume Clara’s journals ended up in the attic. What we couldn’t figure out was how the others ended up there. Clara never mentioned finding any journals, and I’d think she would have had she found them. It’s a mystery I’m not sure we’ll ever solve.
The ride is quiet as we take the back roads to the next town over. The sun is still bright and high in the sky, but it’s on its descent for the day.
“Windows.”
I only have to say the one word for Lincoln to know what I want, and he presses the button on his door. It’s hard breathing on my own, and I’m leaning against the door, so he only lets it down halfway, but it’s enough to let me enjoy the fresh breeze. I smile and close my eyes.
“Molly,” Lincoln’s deep timbre wakes me up sometime later. I don’t know how much time has passed, but the sun is starting to creep behind the trees. “We’re here.”
I roll my eyes around to look at my surroundings. The car is off, and we’re sitting on the side of the road in a nice neighborhood. Each house has a big yard, and there’s a good hundred yards between each one. Trees line the streets on either side, casting shadows. The houses are all decent sized, and each yard is well taken care of.
“Which ooone?”
Lifting his hand, he points out my window. “That one.”
Before I have the chance of struggling to turn myself enough to look, Lincoln’s lifting the middle console, unbuckling my seat belt, and turning me to lean against his firm chest. He locks his fingers of one hand with mine and settles them on my lower stomach. This position gives me the perfect view of the house he pointed out.
It’s brick with white shutters, a good-sized front porch with potted flowers hanging from the overhang, and thick green grass. The driveway is empty, but they could park their cars in the two-car garage. There’s a slip and slide out front, along with several other toys. A tire swing hangs from one of the big trees.
We’re only there for a few moments when the front door swings open and two little giggling girls come running outside in bathing suits. I hold my breath as I take them in. They both look exactly the same with red pigtails and pale skin. They can’t be any older than eight or nine.
“Twinsss,” I breathe.
“Yeah.” Lincoln’s gentle voice blows against my cheek, sending a temporary shiver through me.
A woman and a man walk out after the kids, descending the porch steps. The man, who I know is Christopher McCord, takes off after the little girls, making their giggles fill the air inside the car.
“So beauuutiful,” I murmur quietly, not wanting to talk over their laughter.
“They are.” Lincoln grabs a lock of my hair, twirling it around his finger. “With bright red hair like you.”
The woman laughs, drawing my attention to her. She’s got blonde hair, is lightly tanned, slim but lithe build, and appears taller than average for a woman. She complements Christopher in that regard because he has to be several inches over six feet. Sitting on the bottom step, she watches her husband play with their two children, a smile playing on her face.
My eyes move back to Christopher as he lifts one of the girls in the air, spinning her around a couple of times. The love that shines in his eyes as he looks at his daughter brings tears to my eyes.
This is a happy family.
“Do you want to go talk to them?”
An ache forms in my chest at Lincoln’s question. I would love to go talk to them, to get to know them, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean, I can’t even move, so how would it look for a strange man to carry his immobile wife onto their property? And second, what in the world would we say? Tell them we think we are Christopher’s reincarnated great-great-grandparents?
“Nooo. Just… seeing themmm… is… goood… enough.”
We stay outside their house for another fifteen minutes and simply watch the small family play. Before I became ill, this is something Lincoln and I would do with Gray and Gemma. I miss those times so much, and