I had spent ten years searching for her. My foster sister, Emily, had disappeared the night before my parents’ funeral, taking something that had meant everything to me—the only piece of my mother I had left. A delicate golden locket, given to me on my tenth birthday, containing a photo of my mother and a tiny scrap of her handwriting. When Emily vanished, so did the locket.
At first, I thought it was a coincidence. But as time passed and she never returned my calls, I knew the truth: she had stolen it.
I finally tracked her down in a small town three states away. She was going by her married name now—Emily Parker. I found the address and drove for hours, my heart pounding as I imagined confronting her.
When I knocked, the door creaked open, revealing a tired-looking woman with dark circles under her eyes. My breath hitched. This was Emily—but not the girl I remembered.
She looked shocked to see me. “Anna?”
“Where’s my locket?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended.
She flinched but stepped aside, motioning for me to enter. Inside, the house was modest but clean, except for scattered toys on the floor. In the corner, a frail little girl sat in a wheelchair, staring at me with wide blue eyes.
“My daughter, Lily,” Emily murmured. “She’s been sick for a long time.”
Guilt twisted in my stomach, but I couldn’t forget why I was there. “Emily, you stole from me. That locket—it was all I had left of Mom.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “I didn’t steal it, Anna. I borrowed it. The night of the funeral, I was scared. I wanted something of Mom’s, just for a little while. But then—then everything fell apart. I found out I was pregnant, and I was alone. I meant to give it back, but I thought you’d never forgive me.”
She walked to a small wooden box on a shelf, opened it, and pulled out the locket. It was as beautiful as I remembered.
“I wanted to hold onto it,” she whispered, “because it reminded me of the only family I ever had.”
My anger melted. Looking at her—at Lily—I saw the truth. Life had been hard for her, too.
I reached out, took the locket in my hands, then, with a deep breath, placed it around Lily’s neck.
“She needs it more than I do,” I said.
Emily’s sobs broke the silence as she pulled me into a hug.
I had come seeking revenge, but instead, I found something I hadn’t expected—family.
