Mommy, Where's Daddy? The Forsaken Daughter's Return

Chapter 76: After So Many Years

From inside the military hospital, near the east coast, Winfield was wiping Sarah dry after she had taken a shower in the morning.

Winfield had Sarah's body and blood checked before they would leave for Braeton, wanting to be sure there was no serious problem with his wife, having been locked up for so many years.

Fortunately, despite the wrong Blake had done, he took care of Sarah well. She was healthy and apparently had regularly been checked by a visiting doctor.

As Winfield helped her put on a new dress, he said with his voice breaking in and out, "There. You - you look lovely."

Sarah was silent the whole time. She had been since she left Jansu lsland, merely speaking when she needed something like food or water.

Looking up to Winfield, she probed with her wistful eyes, "Is it true that you married Catherine?"

The question resulted in Winfield swallowing down his own spew. His eyes fluttered as he answered, "Yes. Yes, I did, but we are divorced now." He paused before sadly admitting, "I - I learned too late of her true colors."

Without warning, he wrapped his arms around Sarah and cried, "I thought you were gone and I needed someone to help me with Sam. I'm sorry, Sarah. I am very sorry." Taking a deep breath, he added, "I want you to know... I always had you in my mind. I've always loved you."

Sarah did not answer, but tears flowed down her cheek. Winfield knew he had distressed her. It wasn't enough that she had been locked up for so long; she had to face the truth of his betrayal.

"I know you won't forgive me that easily. In fact, you might never will," Winfield resumed his thoughts while remaining to hold Sarah. "But I want you to know that I will try my best to make up

for the lost years."

For a minute, he maintained to hold Sarah, comforting her as she cried.

He took a deep breath, savoring the scent of her hair before finally letting go. He said, "Let's prepare to leave, Sam will be waiting for us at the Fort Eagle Military Base."

He reached for his pocket and revealed, "For now, you can stay with Sam and her family. I know it will be hard for you to stay with me. You can use my phone. I bought you a new sim, and I will secure a new phone for myself."

Winfield handed Sarah his mobile and explained, "I have many pictures of Sam there with her family. You can scan those while we ride on the chopper."

It took just half an hour for them to get on the helicopter and as they were in the air, Sarah spoke to Winfield again, "What - what are the names of my grandchildren?"

"The girl is Kenzie. She looks like Sam when she was little," Winfield answered.

"Yes, she does," admitted Sarah.

"The boy is Kyle. He looks so much like his father," Winfield pointed out.

"Who is... Sami's husband? He looks familiar," Sarah probed while looking at Winfield.

With a smile, Winfield revealed, "His name is Ethan Wright. He is Amanda's son."

"Oh! This is Ethan?" It was the first time Sarah smiled since she left Jansu island. She became teary-eyed again as she said, "Exactly how I wanted it to be."

With a sigh, Winfield told, "They did not meet exactly how you wanted to be, however."

Once again, Winfield had to explain how Samantha wound up getting pregnant at an early age, how he ended up throwing her out of the house and how their little Sami met Ethan again just recently.

Sarah wound up being silent again. It took nearly a minute before she spoke, "You... and your decisions."

Winfield fell mute. Her voice was not raised but her words had a clear meaning; she was disappointed of him.

He took a moment for himself before he answered, "I'm sorry. I - I was lost without you."

The rest of the ride was in utter silence. Neither of them spoke again.

***

On a Saturday evening, Samantha was waiting by the Fort Eagle Military Base's heliports together with her husband.

As they lingered inside the car, Samantha maintained to fold her arms across her chest, giving her husband a slight snob. She wanted to make sure Ethan knew she was still upset. Yet, despite her actions, Ethan merely chuckled at her.

Samantha could not understand the confidence coming from Ethan, but all she could do was wait. She kept checking her watch while she was at it, also worried for the kids.

Soon enough, Samantha noticed how there was another familiar luxury car that parked right next to them. She frowned, realizing it was her in-laws. "What are your parents doing here?"

"They also want to see your surprise," said Ethan with a smile.

His words all the more made Samantha suspicious, especially how he actually brought two boxes of facial tissue with him.

She scoffed, but before she could react, she could already hear the propellers from above the sky. There were two flying in from above.

Samantha eagerly exited the car, squinting her eyes as the air rushed against her angelic face.

To her left, she noticed how Amanda had also got out of the car, looking at her, teary-eyed.

"Mom?!" She asked with voiced raise. The sound of the helicopter was so thunderous, she had to scream, "What's wrong?!"

Amanda shook her head, wiping the wetness of the corner of her eye. She yelled back, "Nothing!" Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Bemused, Samantha just shifted her gaze at the landing helicopter. She concluded, the answer to her questions were about to be revealed.

Minutes passed, and Samantha finally saw her father come out in one piece. She sighed in relief, closing her eyes.

She immediately made that walk in Winfield's direction. She did notice, however, how her father was teary-eyed. He turned back to the chopper and offered his hand to a woman.

Samantha could not fathom why, but just the mere sight of the woman's hair, her heart raced. It would seem as though the beating of her heart was more deafening than the surroundings.

She halted her steps, analyzing who this woman was.

When Samantha saw the woman's face, she felt confused. The woman looked like her mother but has already aged.

She found herself gasping for air, powerless to breathe. She did not know why, but tears automatically ran down her face.

To her surprise, the woman cried like her. She slowly walked towards Samantha and said, "Sami." The woman could barely talk, but she resumed, "Samantha, it's me, my sweetheart."

The woman had her hands up, asking for a hug. Her face was immersed in tears and her eyes were only glued to Samantha.

Samantha, on the other hand, sensed her jaws drop. She remained to cry without reason, but hearing the woman call her, she turned to her father, silently in question.

After seeing a nod from Winfield, Samantha shifted her gaze to the woman and asked, "Mo - Mom? Mom?"

Only after her recognition did, the woman sped her steps.

As soon as she reached Samantha, she wrapped her arms around her daughter and said, "Samantha, it's me. My baby. It's me. I - I miss you so much."

While Samantha found herself in utter disbelief, Sarah repeatedly pecked on Samantha. From her head to the side of her face, she graced her daughter with loving kisses. "I miss you you, my daughter."

Sarah howled in tears as she added, "I thought of you... Every - every single day!"

Samantha ended up shrieking the same way as her mother. She immediately hugged Sarah back and said, "Mom, It's - It's really you!" Her nose flare as more water run down her face while she expressed, "I can't believe it. I can't - Mom!"

"Sami, it's me. It's really me." Drenched in her tears, Sarah frequently sniffed as she tightened her told on Samantha. She said, "I have finally found my way back... After so many years."

Gone was Samantha's poise. She broke down so badly, her face glowed in tears. She finally understood why she needed two boxes of tissue that evening, something that wasn't even in her hands, right at that very moment.

The mother and daughter remained in the same state for minutes, not caring for the surrounding people.

After some time, Samantha pressed her cheeks against her mother's and asked, "Mom? Where have you been? We - we all thought you were gone?"

Pulling away from her daughter, Sarah answered, "I was held captive by someone. Your father rescued me from the place."

She caressed Samantha's face and answered, "I don't want to talk about this right now. I." Sarah cried again and said, "I just want to hold my baby."

With repeated nods, Samantha wept again and crashed into her mother's arms.

From behind them, Amanda could no longer take it. She had been crying, watching her daughter-in- law and best friend weep. She just had to join the cuddling and walked up to them, wrapping her arms around the two.

"Oh, God, Amanda," Sarah spoke, hugging her best friend back.

"Sarah, I miss you so much. Thank - thank goodness, you are alive," remarked Amanda.

The three ladies took essentially another fifteen minutes more, just standing there in the middle of the heliports, crying and embracing each other.

Heartbeats later, they all settled their emotions and Sarah finally spoke, "Is that Ethan?"

"Yes, Mom. That's Ethan," answered Sam with a smile.

"That's my son," added Amanda.