While working as a nanny, Lori stumbled upon something that stunned her\u2014a tiny pair of shoes that had once belonged to her daughter, who had disappeared 22 years ago. The shoes, a haunting reminder of her past, had somehow resurfaced in the household where she was now caring for a little girl. Lori sat on the living room floor, her hands trembling as she opened another dusty box. Memories rushed back, filling the room with a sorrow she couldn\u2019t shake.\n\n\n\n
Three-year-old Marissa, the sweet child Lori cared for, stood nearby, her wide eyes full of confusion as she watched Lori sobbing uncontrollably. Lori clutched one of the tiny shoes, tears streaming down her face. This shoe had belonged to her daughter, who had gone missing so many years ago. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend this discovery, but no explanation made sense. Then, the front door creaked open, and Lori heard footsteps. Emily, Marissa\u2019s mother, entered, her face etched with concern.\n\n\n\n
Advertisements\n\n\n\n \u201cLori, are you okay?\u201d Emily asked gently, worry in her voice.\n\n\n\n Without looking up, Lori\u2019s voice quivered as she asked, \u201cWhere did you find these shoes?\u201d\n\n\n\n Advertisements\n\n\n\n Emily\u2019s heart pounded as her gaze shifted between the shoe and Lori. \u201cI\u2026,\u201d she began, at a loss for words.\n\n\n\n **22 Years Earlier\u2026**\n\n\n\n Lori sat on the floor, carefully packing clothes into a small suitcase, checking off items on a list beside her. It was Olive\u2019s first trip without her, and Lori\u2019s heart felt weighed down. Olive\u2019s father, Chris, was taking her to Scotland. Lori was uneasy, uncertain whether Chris could handle everything alone. Closing the suitcase, she looked up as four-year-old Olive bounded into the room.\n\n\n\n \u201cMom, why can\u2019t you come with us?\u201d Olive asked, her big eyes full of questions.\n\n\n\n Lori knelt down with a smile. \u201cI wish I could, honey, but this trip is just for you and your dad.\u201d\n\n\n\n Olive\u2019s face fell. \u201cBut what if I miss you?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ll have fun with your grandparents,\u201d Lori said, gently tucking a curl behind Olive\u2019s ear. \u201cYou\u2019ll get to see where your dad grew up and learn about Scotland. It\u2019s part of your heritage.\u201d\n\n\n\n Olive\u2019s eyes filled with worry. \u201cBut I\u2019ll miss you.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s heart ached as she hugged Olive tightly. \u201cI\u2019ll miss you too, sweetheart. It\u2019s only five days, and we\u2019ll be together again before you know it.\u201d\n\n\n\n Olive looked thoughtful. \u201cIs five days a lot or a little?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s just a little,\u201d Lori reassured her, stroking her daughter\u2019s cheek. \u201cThe time will fly by.\u201d\n\n\n\n Olive nodded slowly. \u201cOkay, but promise we\u2019ll see each other soon. Promise you\u2019ll miss me.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori smiled and kissed Olive\u2019s head. \u201cI promise, sweetheart. I\u2019ll miss you so much.\u201d She held Olive close, reluctant to let go.\n\n\n\n A few hours later, Chris arrived to pick up Olive. Lori knelt down, slipping a tiny pair of shoes onto her daughter\u2019s feet\u2014shoes she\u2019d embroidered with delicate flowers herself, making them extra special. \u201cBe good for your dad, okay?\u201d Lori whispered, hugging Olive tightly. Olive nodded and smiled, but Lori felt a pang of worry as they left for the airport.\n\n\n\n Later that day, Chris called to say they\u2019d arrived safely, even sending a photo of Olive smiling at the airport. Lori felt a bit of relief, though a lingering unease remained.\n\n\n\n Chris and Olive had been in Scotland for four days and were supposed to return the next day. For the first three days, Chris had diligently sent pictures of Olive exploring. But on the fourth day, there was silence. No messages, no photos. With each passing hour, Lori\u2019s worry grew. She tried calling Chris, but there was no answer. She texted, hoping for a quick response, but got none. Growing desperate, she even tried contacting Chris\u2019s parents, but they, too, were unreachable. Lori\u2019s heart sank as she tried calling again, but still, no one answered. She spent the entire day waiting by the phone, her mind racing with fear.\n\n\n\n Finally, her phone rang, Chris\u2019s name on the screen. She answered immediately.\n\n\n\n \u201cChris, is everything alright? I was so worried,\u201d Lori said, her voice tense.\n\n\n\n After a long pause, Chris quietly asked, \u201cLori, are you sitting down?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? Why would I need to sit down?\u201d she replied, her heart pounding.\n\n\n\n \u201cJust answer me, Lori. Are you sitting down?\u201d Chris repeated, his voice grave.\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, I\u2019m on the couch. What\u2019s going on?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cListen carefully, and try not to panic,\u201d Chris said.\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s breath caught. \u201cWhat\u2019s happened?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cOlive has disappeared,\u201d Chris finally admitted.\n\n\n\n Lori felt her world shatter. \u201cWhat? How could she be missing?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cWe were in the city. I looked away for just a second, and she was gone. I\u2019ve already contacted the police,\u201d Chris explained.\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s hands shook. \u201cShe\u2019s been missing since this morning, and you\u2019re only telling me now?\u201d she shouted, tears streaming down her face.\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Lori. I was at a loss,\u201d Chris replied, his voice barely a whisper.\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m catching the next flight. I won\u2019t stop until I find her,\u201d Lori said, hanging up, her mind consumed with fear.\n\n\n\n The very next day, Lori arrived in Scotland, determined to find Olive. She spent years there, tirelessly searching, putting up flyers, and speaking to anyone who might know anything. But Olive had seemingly vanished. While the police helped initially, their search eventually dwindled. Lori, however, couldn\u2019t give up, even as her hope faded.\n\n\n\n Years later, the police contacted her with news they\u2019d found a body in the river, believed to be Olive\u2019s, though identification was difficult. Lori\u2019s heart broke. She returned home, devastated and defeated.\n\n\n\n **Present Day\u2026**\n\n\n\n Holding back tears, Lori looked at Emily, who stood silently, unsure of what to say. After a long pause, Emily finally spoke.\n\n\n\n \u201cThese shoes\u2026 they were with me when my family found me,\u201d Emily whispered. \u201cI was very young and don\u2019t remember much. All I know is that I got lost and ended up in a strange city. They later adopted me.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s heart raced. \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 unbelievable,\u201d she murmured, disbelief flooding her voice.\n\n\n\n Emily continued cautiously. \u201cI never knew where I came from, or who my parents were. My adoptive parents tried searching for them, but no one came forward, so they eventually gave up. We moved here when I was six, and I\u2019ve been here ever since.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori wiped her face, her hands shaking. \u201cIs Emily your real name?\u201d she asked quietly.\n\n\n\n Emily shook her head. \u201cNo, I had another name when they found me, but my adoptive parents changed it.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s heart pounded. \u201cWas your name Olive?\u201d\n\n\n\n Emily\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cHow\u2026 how do you know that name?\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s voice quivered as she held up the tiny shoes. \u201cThese were my daughter\u2019s shoes. She was wearing them the day she disappeared in Scotland.\u201d\n\n\n\n Emily\u2019s eyes filled with tears. \u201cI used to live there before we moved.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori\u2019s voice cracked. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you were so close all this time. I should never have stopped looking.\u201d\n\n\n\n Emily, now in tears, whispered, \u201cSo\u2026 you\u2019re my mother?\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori nodded, tears streaming down her face. \u201cYes.\u201d\n\n\n\n Emily embraced her tightly, and Lori held her just as she had done 22 years ago. They sat there in silence, holding each other as if trying to make up for the years they\u2019d lost.\n\n\n\n After a moment, Marissa wandered over, curious. She looked at them with wide eyes, then hugged them both. Emily laughed softly, her eyes still wet with tears, and kissed Marissa\u2019s head.\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you\u2019ve already met your granddaughter,\u201d Emily said with a soft smile.\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, I have,\u201d Lori replied, a warm smile spreading across her face. \u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019ve been her nanny for two years without knowing she was my granddaughter.\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori gently brushed Emily\u2019s hair. \u201cYou had such bright red hair as a child. Marissa\u2019s hair is the same shade. What happened to yours?\u201d\n\n\n\n Emily chuckled. \u201cI started dyeing it in high school and never stopped.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s a shame,\u201d Lori said, nostalgia in her voice. \u201cYou had beautiful hair, just like Marissa\u2019s.\u201d\n\n\n\n Emily hugged her mother again, feeling the weight of lost years wash over them. Lori, still in disbelief, held her daughter close, savoring the warmth she\u2019d missed.\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t asked me to organize these boxes, I might never have known you were my daughter,\u201d Lori said softly.\n\n\n\n Emily wiped her eyes and smiled. \u201cSo, does that mean I don\u2019t have to pay you extra for organizing them?\u201d\n\n\n\n Lori chuckled. \u201cJust promise me you\u2019ll never disappear again,\u201d she said, her voice trembling.\n\n\n\n \u201cI promise,\u201d Emily whispered, holding her mother tightly. Lori closed her eyes, clinging to her daughter as if to protect her from ever disappearing again. Emily was no longer the little girl she had lost but a grown woman with a child of her own. Yet, to Lori, she would always be her precious Olive.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"