Emma was fine just sitting at home out in her garden, underneath trees as high as she could see. She didn't feel she needed traffic, city streets and the excitement, adventure. She sat back in her chair, the sun was shining and she felt the pull of the earthiness of nature all around her...
She didn't need to work. Even thought she was only twenty-five, she had limited chaos in her life and she was happy about this. Her aunt and her had an extraordinary relationship; it was full of deep love and truth. When her aunt, Iris passed away, she left Emma her house in the country. It was out in New Hampshire, away from the city...in a tiny town. Emma was very friendly and had already made friends with her postman, people in town at various shops and restaurants.
This was the life that was originally planned out for her. She grew up in New Jersey-in a busy, Urban area. It was nothing like where she lived now. her parents begged her to stay in New Jersy and go to school...apply to Sarah Lawrence College in New York and not go live at Iris's home, but it was an interesting house. She remembered it. She was always interested in Interior Design and wanted to practice her skills on this beautiful house built in the 1920's and make it cozy and unique for anyone who visited. It was a four bedroom ranch house type of home. Iris also had a Bed and Breakfast a few blocks down that she co-owned with a very sweet, elderly lady named Janice. Emma decided to sell Iris's ownership to Janice. She could own it fully. Her aunt would have approved since it had become very difficult to take care of the house and the bed and breakfast.
Many times, Emma just went to the Bed and Breakfast to bus and serve tables. This way she was able to get to know the locals in town because she worked and go paid being a waitress four to five times a week. She was well known in town and people thought she was wonderful. She wasn't rich. She just had money saved and some her parents were saving for her for college. She inherited the house only because her mother didn't want it. They all thought it was a little lavish of Iris to give away this house, but she knew that Emma would take very good care of it and that her sister wasn't impressed with the house that the two girls were brought up in since they were babies.
Emma was close to her mom and dad, but even closer to her aunty who was like one of her best friends. They talked and talked about everything from Roses , and all types of flowers to political issues in the world. Emma almost felt like her aunt was like a guardian angel to her.
One day, Emma was outside listening to the frogs in the pond...not too far away from her front door. She thought she saw a flash of White from the corner of her eye. She turned and there was her aunt standing before her clear as day. She had her best Sunday dress on, pearls at her throat and long, curly, blonde hair (similar to Emma's) that fell below her shoulders.
Emma put her hand on her heart that was beating incredibly fast. Was this really what her aunt? She tried to sound some words outloud, but they didn't leave her lips. She stood there and she felt a whip of wind and her aunt's ghost flew past her, with a smile and disappered from her vision.
Emma's face blanched...she ran and looked into the mirror in the kitchen and her normally tan face was pale white.
"Aunt Iris!" she almost whispered. "You're still here?"
Emma went into her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her hands on the top of her jeans in worry. Why was this happening? What was going on?. She laid back on her colorful Blue and Green comforter and felt a spirit encircle her. She opened her eyes, but didn't see Iris's ghost. She closed her eyes and saw a movie playing in her mind. Her mom and aunt were young and looked very similar. She could tell who iris was because she had the small birthmark on the right side of her forehead. They were arguing...
"She's mine!" Iris exclaimed.
"Yes, but I can take care of her better. I have a husband. You are an unwed mother and that won't go over well with mom, dad or the church."
Iris and Emma's mom grew up Catholic and there was a lot of shame installed in them while growing up and with all the rules....
Emma opened her eyes and it clicked! Iris was her birth mother! That's why she was given the house and that explained so much that they connected on...
Emma went immediately and called her "mother". Her mom cried and tried to tell her that they had to do what they had to do and that Iris was in no state to handle raising a child when Emma was born.
Emma's mom, Tracy decided to meet her at the house. Emma greeted her "adopted" mom. It was a tear filled greeting full of hugs and regrets. Emma told her mother how Iris's ghost had been showing up. Tracy was shocked and didn't seem to know what to do. She sat on the floor and started crying. Emma put her hand on Tracy's shoulder, but Tracy kept on crying.
"What is it, Mom?"
"Iris wanted to live," said Tracy. "We were all going to meet and discuss how things transpired..."
"But why didn't you?" asked Emma.
"It was too tough for one thing. Your father is not your father."
"What?" asked Emma.
"He really is your uncle."
"Yikes!" shouted Emma. "Then who is my real dad?"
"Oh Emma! He is travelling all the time for the Peace Corps...here's a letter he wrote to you from Algeria."
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