Flight 247.
The number felt like a knife twisting inside her chest.
Twenty years ago…
that was the flight her sister was supposed to board.
The day she disappeared.
The day Victoria told everyone she was dead.
The little girl stared at her.
“Mom said you left us.”
Victoria’s eyes widened.
“No…” she whispered. “That’s impossible.”
The child slowly pulled something else from the bag.
A silver necklace.
Victoria stared.
Then covered her mouth.
She knew that necklace.
She had given it to her sister before they separated.
The back carried tiny engraved words:
“Always come home.”
Victoria’s legs almost collapsed.
“Where…” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
“Where is your mother?”
The little girl looked down.
Her lips trembled.
Then she answered:
“She’s here.”
Victoria looked around in confusion.
“Where?!”
The child slowly raised her finger…
and pointed behind Victoria.
Victoria turned—
and the smile disappeared from her face.
Because standing in the crowd…
was a woman she had buried twenty years ago.
