“I have to apologize now,” Natalie said, with a tiny smile. “It’s about to get real loud in here.” She was peering out the window of her apartment and pressing the buzzer that unlocked the door downstairs.

Sounding like a thundering herd of elephants, a group of people climbed the stairs and burst their way into Natalie’s apartment.

Their voices seemed to hit Aria from every side as she was pulled into hugs and showered with prayers.

“Give the girl some air,” Natalie said, waving them off and gesturing for them to sit down. “She’s here. She’s really here, but let’s not accidently smother her when we’ve just gotten her back.”

“I’m Gail,” a woman with springing white hair that rose up in coils said. She was wiping tears from her cheeks, but she could hardly keep up. “I’m your father’s sister. I gave you your first haircut. When your mother and father went to Florida, I babysat you for a long weekend. You were the sweetest little thing, but you never slept. I was begging you to sleep, but you weren’t having it.”

“It’s so nice to meet you,” Aria said, clearly seeing what Natalie had been talking about. The resemblance between her and her aunt was uncanny.

“Do you remember any of that?” Gail asked, full of hope. Aria hated to burst her bubble.

“I don’t,” Aria said remorsefully. “I don’t remember anything.”

“You were so young,” Gail said, switching quickly from disappointment to encouragement. “Just know that you were very loved. My parents, God rest their souls, spoiled you rotten. You were the first grandchild, and they thought you hung the stars.”

“I wish I’d have been able to see them again,” Aria said, swallowing hard. “I feel like it’s so much time wasted. So many things missed. Every birthday. Every Christmas.”

“Christmas,” Natalie said, snapping her fingers together as she remembered something. “Will you do me a favor?” she asked Monroe, who looked more than eager to have an actual task to do.

“Anything,” he replied, standing up quickly. All the women in the room, either some relation or longtime friend of the family, made a little cooing noise at the sight of Monroe, standing at his full height.

“Isn’t he something?” asked an older woman, who Natalie said was a great aunt.

“You might not want to do this. It’s going to be messy,” Natalie said apologetically.

“I don’t mind at all,” Monroe assured her as they headed toward the door. When they returned Monroe had two large boxes in his arms and a thoroughly ruined pair of pants.

“He had to climb straight to the back of the attic. It’s a mess up there. I’m so sorry about your clothes.” Natalie gestured for him to put the boxes in front of Aria and everyone began clamoring with excitement. “Every Christmas my father bought you a present. They’re dated. The older you were, the less he knew what you might like, and he had me start picking things out. But as you can tell by the look of them, he wrapped them all himself.”

“Do you still like pickles?” a girl a little older than her asked. “You lived in this apartment, and my family lived upstairs. I remember you used to eat a jar of pickles a week. You loved them so much.”

“I still do,” Aria said, smiling at the kind woman. “Wait, so I lived in this apartment? You guys never moved?”

“He wouldn’t,” Gail explained. He paid rent on this apartment for all these years. He could have bought it two times over by now. But he always thought, if you remembered something someday, he’d want you to be able to find your way home.”

At that everyone in the room fell silent, and if there was a dry eye, she couldn’t find it.

“Open your presents,” Natalie said, handing her the first one. “We’re going to make some of my dad’s favorite recipes.”

“I brought the videos,” Gail exclaimed. “He recorded everything. He knew you’d be here to see it someday. Scott had the best laugh. You’ll hear it on the tapes, and you’ll know. He was a happy man. Missing you was a part of his life, it broke his heart, but it didn’t break his spirit.”

“Get the photo albums,” someone else shouted as they all began to scurry around and gather things up. “Her baby pictures. I bet she’s never seen her baby pictures.”

“I haven’t,” Aria said, trying to fight the urge to admit she was overwhelmed. She was afraid to ask them to stop or even slow down.

“How about some wine?” the oldest of the women asked as she gave her a wink. “You didn’t know you were coming back to a bunch of crazies.”

“We might be crazy, Gilly,” Natalie countered. “You like to think you’re not as mad as the rest of us because you only married in to the family. But you’re plenty nuts.”

Gilly rolled her eyes as she dashed away for a bottle of red and a bottle of white. “If we don’t give this poor girl something for her nerves, she’s going to topple over. It’s a lot to take in.” Everyone quieted a bit and stared at Aria, scrutinizing her face to see if it were true that she was on the verge of passing out.

“I’m fine,” she assured them. “I’m better than fine. This is more than I ever expected.”

“You’ll have to forgive us,” Gail said, the tears appearing again. “We’ve been preparing for this moment for over twenty years.”

“Is no one going to ask the obvious?” her great aunt called out, breaking the momentary silence. “Where is your mother? What does she have to say for herself? She has to pay for what she did to your father and this family.”

“Aunty,” Natalie scolded but only half-heartedly. In a way, she too wanted to know the answer.

“I haven’t seen her in years,” Aria explained. “I don’t know exactly where she is, but I’ll cooperate with the police any way I can. I know how deeply she hurt me and everyone in this room. But—”

“She’s still your mother.” Gail sighed, giving her a knowing look. “Your father only wanted you back. Not to hurt your mother, even though it would have been completely justified for him to want that. He left some information in his last will and testament. It won’t absolve your mother of the charges she might face if she’s found one day, but his words would certainly resonate with any judge who would have to determine her fate.”

Aria felt a warmth spread across her chest. “He sounds like a truly incredible man.” The words were meant to be uplifting, but it only seemed to highlight the emptiness he left behind.

Gail came and sat by her. “He got to hold you and love you for three years. Somehow he turned that connection with you into enough love to sustain him when you were apart. He gave you the gift of a brother and sister. He left you this entire family to take his place and show you the love he always wished he could have shown you. You don’t remember him. But know this, he remembered every little thing about you. And he loved you so much; I know there are little pieces of him sprinkled all through your personality. We’ll be here to point it all out to you. Now open those presents and drink your wine.”

“Yes ma’am,” Aria said, pulling at the wrapping paper of the first present. The year on it meant she’d have been four years old that Christmas. She didn’t know how she and her mom had spent it, but most likely they were alone. From the package, she pulled out a stuffed elephant with the softest plush fur. Holding it to her chest she pictured her father picking it off the shelf and wrapping it up just for her. For the hope that maybe she’d be back to open it.

Monroe put a hand on her shoulder and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Do you need anything?”

“If it weren’t for you,” she said, looking over at him earnestly, “I’d still be on that resort telling myself I didn’t deserve any of this. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“The truth is you could have,” Monroe countered. “You are one of the bravest, most capable people I have ever met. You would have done this without me. But I’m so glad you didn’t. This is incredible. You are incredible.”

“Marry me,” she said, a lightning bolt of shock blazing through her chest. She had not given this any thought, but at that moment it felt completely right. The room around them fell silent. “I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “That came out of left field. I’m probably not thinking straight because I’m so excited. As much as I’d love to marry you, it’s not fair for me to spring it on you like this.”

He leaned in and kissed her. She was quite certain it was to shut her up, but as their lips parted, he presented her with a small velvet box. “I was waiting for the right moment.” He grinned, as he dropped down to one knee. “I should have known you’d beat me to it.”

“You were going to propose?” Aria asked, watching him slide the diamond onto her ring finger. “I’m not a crazy person who blurted out that we should get married?”

“You are crazy,” Monroe corrected. “You just happen to be in good company.”

Everyone began to clap and whoop their excitement. “Could this day get any better?” Gail asked, practically jumping over Aria to throw her arms around Monroe.

“It really couldn’t,” Aria said, as she looked down at the glistening diamond on her hand. “I have a family.”

“Life starts today,” Monroe said, lacing his fingers with hers. “Life starts right this second.”

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