CHAPTER 7 — The Little Girl Who Called Emma "Mom"
The stranger stood motionless at the entrance of the hospital.
In one hand, he carried a worn leather folder.
In the other, a tiny silver necklace engraved with two names:
Hope and Grace.
Dr. Brooks rushed toward him.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Michael Hayes," the man replied quietly. "I'm the doctor who interrupted that surgery four years ago."
Emma's knees nearly gave out.
"You know what happened to my babies?"
Michael nodded, his face filled with guilt.
"I've lived with this secret every single day."
Before he could continue, a little girl, no older than four, stepped out from behind him.
She had bright hazel eyes...
The same eyes Emma saw every morning in the mirror.
The child looked directly at Emma.
Then smiled.
"Mommy?"
The world stopped.
Emma burst into tears.
She slowly knelt before the little girl.
The child wrapped her tiny arms around Emma's neck as if she'd been waiting for this moment her entire life.
"I dreamed about you," the little girl whispered.
Emma couldn't breathe.
"What's... what's your name?"
"Hope."
The necklace wasn't a memory.
It belonged to a child who was standing right in front of her.
But Emma immediately looked around in panic.
"If Hope is alive..."
"Where's Grace?"
Michael's face turned pale.
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"I couldn't save both of them."
Or so he believed.
