Crimson Dahlia by Abigail Owen Page B

healing
someone, and her mom was next to him wrapping a bandage around someone else’s
arm.
    “Mom?”
Lila called.
    Lucy
looked up and gasped.  She dropped the bandage and rushed over and threw her
arms around her daughter.
    “My
baby, my baby.” Lucy was crying and laughing at the same time. She pulled back
and held Lila’s face in her hands. “You’re here. You’re home. I wouldn’t
believe them until I saw you.”
    “I’m
here, Mom. I’m okay.”
    “Lila,”
Hugh’s choked up voice sounded behind her.
    “Dad!”
Lila choked out. Tears filled her eyes as she turned around and flung herself
into her father’s arms. He held her tightly, saying nothing.
    “Sorry
to interrupt, but maybe you’d all like a little privacy?” Selene asked.
    Lucy
nodded, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t bring herself to pull her
gaze away from Lila even for a second.
    Hugh
looked around at all the people still waiting for his help, and Selene noticed
his concern. “It’s okay, Hugh. No one is critical. They can wait for you to
reunite with your daughter.”
    As
they moved away, Lila stopped suddenly and looked around, “Where’s Marcus?” she
asked.
    “He’s
here. I’ll get him and bring him to you,” Griffin said.
    She
nodded, and the group moved away. They decided to go to Adelaide’s room. Once
they were inside, Lucy sat Lila down on the bed and then sat beside her and
took her hand.
    “Everyone
else will be here in a second,” Griffin said, as he and Selene came in.
    Selene
rushed over to give Lila a hug. “I’m so happy you’re okay,” she whispered in
Lila’s ear. “So is Ramsey.”
    Lila
glanced over to where he stood in the back corner, watching. But her attention
swiftly turned back to the room as the rest of the family all appeared and
smothered her with welcoming hugs.
    “Lila,”
Adelaide was already sobbing her sister’s name as she rushed in and wrapped her
arms around Lila’s neck. “Thank heaven.”
    Lila
smiled when Adelaide pulled back and started checking every inch of her. “I’m
okay, Delia. I promise. Where’s Nate?”
    Adelaide
smiled and shrugged, but Lila’s knew she was worried. “Talia needs him,”
Adelaide said. “He said he’d swing by later to give you hugs.”
    Taking
her cue from her sister, Lila just nodded and smiled, but secretly thought that
was a little odd. I’ll have to talk to her about it later tonight.
    “Do
you want to tell us what happened… what they did to you?” Griffin asked.
    Lila
played with the hem of her t-shirt “Not really. They kept us all in a cell and
then started removing us one by one. That’s really about it. I’m hungry. I’m
tired. I could really use a shower, and brushing my teeth would be awesome.”
She turned to Selene. “There are a few interesting facts I picked up that I
think you should know about, but those can wait till later.”
    Selene
nodded in acknowledgement.
    What
Lila didn’t say, because she knew it would hurt their feelings, was that the
amount of emotion in the room was starting to overwhelm her. For the family
that had worried so much and fought so hard to win her back, she’d endure it.
    A
surge of emotion – concern, worry, and frustration - from the back corner of
the room caught her attention. She glanced back at where Ramsey still stood.
    “You
okay?” he mouthed.
    Her
eyes widened and then she remembered – their link. Lila scrunched her nose in
consternation, which caused Ramsey’s lips to twitch. She nodded.
    “My
Lady,” Oren’s voice interrupted them. His emotional state caught Lila’s
attention despite the ocean of sentiment swirling through the room.
    “Oren…what
is it?” Selene asked.
    “There’s…
something you should… see,” he said in a shaky voice.
    “This
is not a good time, Oren. Can it wait?” Selene asked.
    Oren
shook his head. “Trust me. You need to see this now.”
    Griffin
stood up. He masked it well from everyone else, but Lila felt the shock