Chapter 12 - Broken Promises
For a long moment, the diner was completely silent save for the muffled cries of the two sisters. Finally, Sarah pulled back, her hands frantically checking Lily’s face, her arms, looking for bruises or injuries.
"How did you get here? Did you run away again? Where is your foster mother?" Sarah’s voice was frantic, laced with terror. Then, she looked up and noticed Eleanor standing over them.
Instinctively, Sarah pushed Lily behind her back, her posture instantly shifting from a grieving sister to a fierce protector. "Who are you?" Sarah demanded, her voice hardening. "Are you from the state? Because I swear, if you try to take her back to that place, I will kill you."
Eleanor raised her hands slowly, a gesture of absolute peace. "I'm not from the state, Sarah. I’m not here to take her away."
Eleanor reached into her blazer and slowly pulled out the brown leather wallet, opening it to reveal the faded black-and-white photograph. She placed it gently on the edge of the table.
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Sarah stared at the photo, her fierce expression faltering. "That’s my mother’s picture. I gave that to Lily to keep her safe." She looked up, studying Eleanor’s sharp, structured face, comparing it to the older girl in the photograph.
"I went looking for you," Sarah whispered, the fight draining from her body. "Three years ago. A private investigator promised me he had a lead on Maya’s rich sister. He took every dollar I had and left me stranded in this town. When I finally got a phone to call Lily's foster home, they had moved her. The state refused to tell me where she was. I've been working double shifts ever since, trying to afford a lawyer to force them to give me her file."
