The Mysterious Stranger by Susan Mallery

Author:Susan Mallery [Mallery, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-07-27T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Everyone was talking at once. Fallon smiled as her sisters and their husbands explained once again how stunned they’d been when they’d been unable to find her at the resort.

“It was as if you’d disappeared off the face of the planet,” Kayla said.

“In a way, I suppose I had,” Fallon told her, still feeling a little shaky.

Her memory had returned in a flash. For a second the world had gone dark, then suddenly she’d been fine. The sensation was odd. The closest she could come to explaining it was having her ears plug on a flight. There was that feeling of talking through a tunnel and not being able to hear very well. When her eardrums popped, everything was normal again.

That’s how she felt now. Restored. Although it was odd to have herself back and yet remember not remembering.

She glanced around the room and saw Anna Jane sitting alone on the sofa. The girl looked as stunned as she felt. No doubt the sight of “Ariel’s” sisters was a little unnerving for the child.

Fallon crossed to her and took a seat. “How are you doing?” she asked.

Anna Jane shrugged. “Okay. I’m glad you got your memory back and you have a family.”

The words were polite and exactly what she should have said, but Fallon saw the truth in the pain in her eyes. She hugged the child close. “I know this makes things different, but just because I remembered my past doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about you. You’re still very special to me.”

“Really?” Her lower lip trembled. “I wondered if you would forget.”

“I could never forget you.” She smoothed Anna Jane’s bangs out of her eyes. “Didn’t we just go horseback riding yesterday and order presents for your uncle? I haven’t forgotten anything.”

“Good.” Anna Jane snuggled close. “You’re my best friend.” She giggled. “It’s gonna be weird calling you Fallon.”

“I’ll tell you a little secret.” Fallon leaned close and whispered in her ear. “All my sisters and I hate our names. They’re strange. Kids made fun of us when we were growing up. We always wanted normal, pretty names, like yours.”

“Anna Jane isn’t pretty.”

“You’re right,” Fallon said earnestly. “It’s beautiful.”

Anna Jane flushed with pleasure, then turned to the sisters. “Are you really triplets?”

Elissa heard the question. “We sure are,” she said, moving closer and crouching in front of the child. “Identical from birth. Of course, that’s just on the outside. We’re different on the inside.”

“I’d like to hear about that,” Jarrett said, stepping into the room. He carried a tray with drinks. Behind him, Leona had plates of cookies.

“I helped with some of the cookies,” Anna Jane said.

Elissa sat on the other side of the girl. “Tell me which ones. I want to taste those.”

Cole walked to the sofa and perched on the arm by his wife. Kayla and Patrick settled on the love seat opposite. Jarrett passed out drinks to everyone.

Kayla leaned forward. As usual, she wore her hair in a ponytail. Her face was devoid of makeup, yet she looked radiant.

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