Page 145 of The Me I Left Behind

Lilly shook her head. “No. I’m the one who is sorry.”

Maggie angled closer and tried to focus. “I never expected to see you face-to-face.”

“Nor did I.” Lilly sniffed. “I thought you were the cleaning crew.”

Carol jogged up to the women. “You’re Lilly? I’m Carol. Do I have a baby brother or a sister?”

Maggie slowly turned toward her daughter. How long had she wondered that? Unexpectedly, Carol had narrowed things down to one simple question. She eased her gaze over to Lilly.

Lilly said nothing for a moment. Finally, she took a breath and exhaled, focusing on Carol. “You have a little brother,” she said softly. “He’s almost nine months old. Would you…?” She glanced at Maggie, then back again to Carol. “If your mother agrees, would you like to meet him?”

She looked at Maggie then. “I’ll leave that up to you to decide.”

Maggie lifted her chin. “Carol is eighteen and very much a young adult. She can decide.” She focused on her daughter then, who peered back with questioning eyes.

“I would like to, Mom. Is that okay with you?”

Maggie nodded.

“Mrs. Oliver…” Lilly started.

“Maggie.”

“Alright. Maggie. I am certain that I am the last person on earth you want to speak with, but I’m wondering if you would… I have questions, you see…and I have been concerned about you and the children. I know Max was not an easy man to be with and I….”

Maggie reached for Lilly’s hand. “We have things to discuss.”

“We do.”

“We will be here for a few more days. Just let us know.”

Lilly took a breath. “My address is on the card. Tomorrow afternoon? Say, two o’clock?” She looked at Carol. “Leo will be there.”

“Leo?”

Lilly smiled. “My son. Your brother.”

For the first time that day, Maggie actually felt something in her heart—if she could only pinpoint what that emotion truly was. “We’ll be there.”

Lilly held her gaze. “Take the passenger ferry over to Macleay Island, then it’s about a twenty-minute walk. Where are you staying?”

“Marriott, downtown.”

“I’m sure they can point you in the right direction.”

“We will see you tomorrow.”

The elevator dinged, and the door opened. Maggie and Carol watched Lilly disappear behind the closing doors.

“Well,” Carol said. “That was unexpected.”

“True,” Maggie agreed, turning. “Are you okay with this?”

Carol met her gaze and held it. “I am if you are. I think we need to do this. We both need closure.”

“Or maybe…” Maggie thought for a moment. “To open some doors.”

At a little beforetwo o’clock the next day, Carol and Maggie stood outside the door of the island home of Lilly Colling. Maggie knocked and also pushed the doorbell. Footsteps sounded behind the door and after a moment, it opened.