Anna had plans for the day. Yesterday during the birthday party for Hope, she had been able to convince her daughter Grace that she would be willing to listen to her plans for the trip and would make her decision after their discussion.

Anna knew she would most likely say yes after the talk with April and Hope but she still had her reservations.

It wasn't easy for Anna to always look behind her daughter's shoulder to keep her from making the same mistakes as hers.

Anna had been young when she made the mistakes as well. She was born in a conservative family who never let her out of their controlling environment. Anna never had a sleepover, a birthday party, a friend who was of opposite gender that it wasn't hard to be ignored and feel like a outcast.

Her first rebellion was to sneak out of the house to go with a friend's party. She had been flattered by the attention she got from an older popular  boy. She intended it for to be just a kiss but she let it go much further.

Anna didn't even regret that night because she felt the aderaline of breaking her parent's rules exciting. She felt like she could do anything her  heart wanted and she intended to take her school by storm.

Her life was supposed to fall on track during Prom night. She was supposed to show everyone that she wasn't a shy wallflower kind of girl but rather someone who could be a Prom Queen.

Everything was within her grasp that night. She had managed to sneak past her Prom dress to her friend's house. She walked out of her home with her friend in the dress her parents approved and made the change back in her home.

There had been moment when she felt sad that she didn't have a date for that night. But everything changed the moment she walked inside the school and everyone's heads turned towards her.

Anna felt like her life would change drastically that night. She was indeed crowned Prom Queen much to her delight and she was about to allow the Prom King to take her out for some fun because she was the daring Anna who knows how to have fun.

When she stumbled upon April changing the course of her life. Anna resented April that night when she walked towards Anna claiming to be sent by her parents to take her back home.

In hindsight she didn't know why she trusted a stranger's word and walked home with her. But it had been the fear of her parents realising what she had been upto that made her go along with April without a protest.

All through walking back home. She begged April not to tell her parents about her dress and was relieved when April let her walk to her friend's house to change the dress.

Anna was so relieved to find a ally that she didn't think too much when April introduced herself as a distant relative to her parents and that she met Anna on the way back.  Anna didn't notice April's lies back then because she liked having an ally against her parents.

Over the years she never questioned April's lies because she knew without April by her side she wouldn't have survived through her pregnancy.

Because one month after Prom night, everything fell apart in her life. She wanted everyone to notice her and it happened not in the way she wished though.

Anna was known for getting pregnant in school and she hated every minute of the attention it resulted in. Anna counted the day before she could give birth and move on from the mistake of her life.

When the couple who were supposed to adopt Hope backed away in the last minute. Her parents insisted Anna raise the child and if not for April stepping in Anna would have went along with it.

It has been 30 years since then but Anna couldn't still quite forget her recklessness. It had been the reason she was over cautious with her kids. But she needed to remember that her rebellion was rooted in her parents denial. She didn't want Grace to rebel against her either.

So she would talk with her daughter, caution her about everything even if her daughter felt awkward about the said talk because Anna wanted her daughter to not make the same mistake as her.

Anna carefully laid plans for the day went for a toss when a frantic Hope dashed inside her room claiming April was missing from her room.

Anna's first thought had been that April must have stepped out for a moment to buy something for breakfast, but Hope claimed that April's car was still parked in the garage.

"Mom's phone is still on the dresser. Her car is still here, but she is not at home. " Hope's words began to make even Anna panic a little because Hope looked distraught.

Anna knew she had to remain the rational one amongst the two. April had been her anchor during chaos countless times in her life. But in the absense of April it fell on her to be the logical one.

An hour later, Anna had exhausted all her logical actions. She called her husband and informed him first. Being married to a Police officer had its perks and he rushed first along with their kids.

Hope had called her fiancee Ben and he arrived just ten minutes after her husband. Anna had been sure there would be an answer by now.

Because it didn't make any sense for someone to go missing with two other people sleeping in the next rooms. It wasn't like April to go anywhere without letting them know either.

Two hours later, even Anna began to panic as there was no news about April. Six hours later, Anna had an hysterical Hope crying inconsolably.

Anna didn't know how to console Hope when she was feeling lost as well. She was glad that Hope got Ben by her side as he seemed to be doing a better job than her.

But it only meant when it was time for questions it fell on her to answer.

"Does April have any family member except you and Hope?"  The answer Anna  had given was  I don't know. Over the next few minutes she had repeated the three words several times leaving her husband surprised by her lack of knowledge.

"She was your cousin right Anna, you have to give us something to check. " her husband spoke up but Anna couldn't even respond back with an yes.

"I don't know Tristan. She might not even be my cousin. She told me that she was the daughter of my estranged uncle but few years ago I got to know  that my uncle never got married. It doesn't mean he didn't have kids right but April did say her parents were married." Anna spoke up feeling dejected that she never really know April.

Anna knew April lied to her most of the time. But she never asked her to share the truth because she wanted to respect her privacy and now it meant she got nothing to say about April.

"It is okay Anna. Just think about anything she said recently that was suspicious and you ignored it back then. Just try to give us something that could help us" Tristan asked her and Anna drew blank because while April had been extra talkative during the weekend. She didn't say anything suspicious.

Anna was about to say so when she remembered something suspicious. It wasn't something that happened recently but it was something that April kept insisting when she was pregnant with Hope.

"I will be right by your side till you deliver the baby" April had assured her over and over during the months but she always hinted at leaving as soon as Hope was born.

Anna hadn't thought much about that because April ended up adopting Hope but now she remembers that right before Anna was wheeled into the delivery room. April had said she might have to leave immediately and not to worry about her.

In her pain Anna had forgotten those words but April had insisted over and over again that she had to leave soon and not to worry over her.

Anna never asked April why she didn't leave. Anna never asked why she lied to her. Anna never asked April about anything until she was left alone with thousand questions.

"The Box" Hope suddenly shouted and ran inside her mother's room. Anna, Tristan and Ben followed her hoping to find some answers.

When Anna stumbled inside the room. Hope was already clutching a small box in her hand. Hope opened the box and the content inside it left Anna shocked as it held two letters.

One addressed to Anna and the other one to Hope. As Hope handed over the letter inscribed in her name towards Anna.

Anna realized the letter might contain all the answers to her questions about April but she didn't know the wreck it might cause on her heart.

P.S:" That is it for now. Let me know your thoughts and Feedbacks. Hit the votes if you liked it "

Love

Juanita Reid