was good to me and he raised me like his own daughter.”
I blink the tears away and swallow. I was afraid that would be a slap in the face to David, but April and David both agreed if I didn’t address it, there would be rumors that horrible things happened to me. As I continue talking, my voice shakes with emotion, but I stay on track so I can get this over with as quick as possible. As I speak my last words, I focus on the crowd further out and smile. “Thank you for your love and support. This is all so overwhelming…” I hold my hand over my heart, the beat slams against my palm. The crowd’s cheers fill the clear open air. I turn my gaze to the reporters, “… and please bear with me while I find myself in this unfamiliar world.”
As soon as they realize I’m done talking, they throw a melee of questions at me. My eyes can’t focus enough on one question to hear what in the world they’re asking. I frantically glance over at April. David, who is standing beside her, sends me a warm smile and steps up to my side, wrapping his arm around me.
“Listen guys, you’re not helping,” he says into the mic. “If you want her to stay up here and answer questions, you need to chill.”
This makes the reporters chuckle. They still throw the questions at me, but in a slightly calmer manner. When I see the guy in the red tie, I point at him. He walks up to the front and someone hands him a mic.
“Hi, I’m Fred Garza with the LA Times. My question is, do you wish to be called Aspen or Gabriella?”
My shoulders relax that he’s keeping to script. “Aspen.”
“Aspen it is. My second question, you never mentioned the name of the man who kidnapped you and raised you.”
I swallow. “Rudy Foley.”
“But that’s not his actual name,” he adds. “Is it?”
David must feel my body freeze, so he leans over to the mic. “Fred, you had your two questions.” Fred nods, still grinning, like he knows he did something wrong but doesn’t care. Although, he retreats to his seat.
But if it wasn’t him, it’ll be the next question. Before picking the next person, I clear my throat to shut everyone up. “He was only Rudy Foley to me, other than dad. I don’t know him as any other man, so I can’t answer that question.”
The questions come like a brick wall again, except this time, it’s slightly less jarring. I find the lady in the purple dress. Her question gets a little deeper. She wants to know how I’m doing with my new family.
“To say I feel like I’m the black sheep, is an understatement,” I joke. “I might look like them, but I definitely don’t sound like them.” The crowd laughs and my humor helps me relax a little. “Truthfully, it’s going better than expected.” I glance over to Beatrice and the love radiating in her eyes blankets me. She smiles through her tears and I return the sentiment. Every moment I’m with her brings us closer.
After more questions, I’m getting the hang of it. Several questions are the same, just asked differently. Until they ask the question, that has nothing to do with the family or being kidnapped.
“Are you with Ryker Dallas?”
My mouth gapes open for a quick second before I snap it shut, because I have no idea how to answer that. You seem to know more about us than I do is at the tip of my tongue. At least, he wouldn’t be able to ignore me if they plastered it over every news channel and magazine article. A wicked grin creeps up my face and I lean forward to answer, but April lightly shoves me aside.
“We’re done here. Thank you.”
I narrow my eyes at her and she does a tiny shake of her head, escorting me behind the metal gates, away from the cheers and hollering.
She leans over and whispers, “It’s not the time to call him out, Aspen.”
“I thought it was the perfect time.”
“Yeah, I could tell.” She laughs. “You did great out there. You might be better at this public speaking than you think.”
I laugh out loud at the ridiculousness. No way. Not happening.
When a soft knock at the door pulls my attention away from my book, I expect to see Halli walk in. Instead, Mila peeks her head inside. “Aspen, are you awake?”