Lost & Found: A Charm for Trinity

Stella must have seen my face cloud up, because she hugged me again, the way a mom would have, one arm around my shoulders, and the other hand holding the back of my head as she held me against her. It was so like what I'd seen my friends' moms do for them, what I'd always wanted mom to do when I needed her, I started crying, I couldn't help myself. Stella immediately led me up onto the porch, and wiped my eyes with a Kleenex.

"How old are you, honey, really?" she asked me gently, and when I told her she looked sad.

"Your mom should be here today, it's a special day, and you're still only a baby, you need your mom!"

I tried to tell her that Mom would never have come, that she hated me, and she hated Scotty, that we'd sinned against her God and all she wanted was to punish us, and before I knew it, I was telling her about Scotty and me, who we were, and why Mom hated us.

Stella listened, occasionally passing me a tissue, or squeezing Scotty's hand, until I wound down, with one last, desperate plea.

"Please, please don't tell anyone about us, about Scotty and me, we only have each other, don't make them break us up, please!"

I was crying again, panicked that I'd blurted-out our deepest secret to her, that now she knew and she'd take it on herself to contact Mom, or the authorities, and they'd find us and take Scotty away. Instead, Stella leaned in and hugged me again.

"It's okay, honey, don't worry, I won't say anything; I haven't so far, I'm not going to start now!"

I pulled away and stared at her.

"You...you knew?" and Stella smiled.

"Trini, I have good eyesight, darlin', and you and Scott look so much alike it was an easy connection to make; you might think about doing something about that; if I made that connection, so will others. Sweetie, I don't care if you're brother and sister, I can see how much you love each other, and that, just a little bit of luck, a little careful planning, and being smart about who you trust, should see you through okay."

She dabbed at my eyes once again, a gentle, motherly gesture, one I needed so much right then.

"You can trust me, kids; I don't have any interest in outing you, and I like having you live here; you're nice kids, and it's like having family at home again, so your secret's safe with me. Now you go on down and freshen-up; a girl shouldn't cry on her wedding day! Go put something nice on, both of you. I'm taking you out to lunch in Gainsboro, your own special wedding-day treat, so you just order anything you want, it's on me!"