Free Finding Fiona by Emily Ann Ward Page A

baby
and toddler. A picture at the hospital, a Polaroid with Santa, a
photo of her in a bathing suit with her mother. She couldn’t pry
her eyes from the pictures and didn’t want to. The sense of déjà vu
that had plagued her all day mixed with wonder and
amazement.
    Hannah sniffled, a few tears falling down her
cheeks. “You were adorable.”
    “ Are you crying?” Fiona
whispered.
    Hannah half-laughed, half-sobbed, and she
wrapped an arm around Fiona. “I’m glad you brought us here,
James.”
    “ I know, I can’t believe it.” Fiona
blinked back her own tears. “This is actually
happening.”
    They continued to go through the shoebox. A
lock of hair, congratulations cards from family and friend, a small
pink outfit. James showed them a photo album, and Fiona sat between
James and Hannah, the album on her lap, her back against more
boxes. She soaked in the pictures, every detail, every color, every
face. Certain scenes stuck out to her, nagging at the edges of her
memory. It was mostly her and her parents, and occasionally other
faces would appear.
    Halfway through the book, Fiona froze. “Oh, my
god.”
    She was staring at a picture of herself–or
Elizabeth, she wasn’t sure how to refer to the girl in the
pictures–with Fiona Normans and another man at a lake. It was clear
from their features the man was Fiona Normans’s brother–Elizabeth’s
uncle. Troy.
    “ Oh, my god,” Hannah
echoed.
    “ What?” James asked.
    “ That’s…” Fiona trailed off. She
couldn’t even say his name.
    “ Troy,” Hannah said, her voice
shaking. “That’s Troy, that’s my boyfriend.”
    “ What?” James said. “No, his name’s
Walter. He’s the uncle I was talking about.”
    Hannah swore. Fiona wanted to do a lot more
than that.
    “ Wait, are you serious?” James
asked. “He’s–I don’t understand.”
    “ I’ve been going out with him for
three months!” Hannah stood up and started pacing. “He’s
practically living at my place, and he–I can’t believe this.” She
took out her phone. “I’m calling him right now.”
    “ What if he’s working with the
Alarias?” Fiona asked.
    Hannah and James stared at her. “No,” James
said. “No, he’s not…”
    Fiona pushed away the photo album and stood
up. “Why did he take that journal? Hannah, why was he with you for
three months? He didn’t tell you, he didn’t tell me! He lied! I
can’t believe him.” Her stomach was starting to turn.
    “ I… I just know Walter–” James
began, his voice uncertain.
    “ Really, James?” Fiona spat. “Three
months! I could have come home!”
    “ I know. Look, I’m pissed, too,
but…”
    “ But what?” Fiona turned to Hannah,
holding out her hand. “Give me the phone.”
    Hannah stared at her for a moment.
Fiona swore and went to find her own phone. Her hands shook as she
wrenched through her purse. Her face was warm with anger, and she
found Troy in her contacts–out of her twelve contacts–and put the phone to
her ear.
    “ Fiona, do you really think this is
a good idea?” James asked.
    “ Shut up!” Fiona snapped. James’s
face fell, and she felt bad for a moment, but her fury washed over
her. She couldn’t believe it.
    “ If you really think he’s working
with the Alarias, then he’ll tell them where you are,” Hannah
said.
    “ This is his house, isn’t it? I’m
hardly safe here if he’s with them,” Fiona said.
    “ Fiona?” Troy answered.
    Fiona clenched her fists at the sound of his
voice and she closed her eyes. “Hi, Walter.”
    Troy didn’t respond.
    She let out a hollow laugh. “You’re not even
going to deny it?”
    “ Fiona–”
    “ You worthless bastard, I knew
there was something wrong with you!” Fiona yelled. “How long would
you have lied to me? To Hannah? A year, maybe two?”
    “ I was protecting you–” Troy
began.
    Fiona dropped the phone on the
ground, barely restraining herself by not throwing it out the
window. “I can’t speak to him,”