Snowflakes & Secrets.

4.

Morning crept into Collen with a pale, winter-blue sky that almost looked like it was holding its breath. Snow had not fallen yet, but the cold hinted it could start any moment. River barely slept. She tossed from side to side, replaying yesterday again and again in her mind. Geff’s and Naomi's death. Jessy now her responsibility. And Ivan… Ivan was back in her orbit, whether she wanted it or not.

She sat on the edge of her bed staring at the folder Marissa had given her. It felt heavier this morning, as if the weight of it had doubled overnight. River let out a shaky sigh, rubbed her eyes, and forced herself up. Today she would meet Jessy, the little girl who had lost her entire world in a single week. A little girl who somehow had River’s name written beside her future.

“Why me?” River whispered to her empty room. No answer came. None ever did. The walk to the CPS office felt shorter than yesterday. Too short. She paused outside the entrance, took a deep breath, and stepped in.

The waiting room was warm and bright compared to the cold outside. A small Christmas tree sat in the corner, decorated with paper snowflakes clearly made by children. Somewhere down the hall, she could hear soft voices, Marissa’s, another adult’s, and a child’s.

Her chest tightened.

Jessy.

River rubbed her palms against her jeans and tried to steady her breath.

“River?” Marissa appeared from the hallway, smiling warmly. “Good morning. I’m glad you’re here.”

“I wouldn’t miss this,” River said, though her voice wobbled.

Marissa noticed but didn’t comment. “Ivan arrived a few minutes ago. Jessy’s with us too. She’s a quiet girl, very observant,” River nodded, ignoring the sudden pounding in her chest at the mention of Ivan. “Come in. They’re waiting.”

As Marissa led her down the corridor, River’s hands shook slightly. With every step, the knot in her stomach grew tighter. And then they reached the room, a small family meeting room with soft chairs, toys in a basket, and sunlight spilling through the window. River froze in the doorway. Ivan was already inside. He stood near the window, hands in his coat pockets, staring out into the snowy street. His dark hair was slightly messy, like he had also spent the night wrestling with thoughts instead of resting. He looked tense, colder than yesterday, but too handsome for her peace of mind. Beside him… sat a small girl. Jessy.

She had soft brown hair, braided neatly on one side. Her eyes were round, big, and far too old for her age eyes that had seen more pain than any child ever should. She held a little stuffed bear with worn-out ears, clinging to it like it was the last safe thing she had. River’s heart broke. The child looked up at her, caution in her eyes mixed with a little curiosity.

“Jessy,” Marissa said gently, “this is River. She’s someone who cared a lot about your parents.”

River blinked, the words hitting her unexpectedly. care? After everything that had happened, River wasn't sure that was the word she could use. It's true at one point in her life she had cared for both Geff and Naomi, but that had quickly changed after that night. When nobody came to her defense, not even Naomi, her so-called friend, or Geff. At the same time, she couldn't say she hated them. Jessy studied her a moment longer before giving a tiny nod. River stepped inside, forcing her steps steady. “Hi,” she said softly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Jessy didn’t speak, but her eyes lingered. Watching. Assessing. There was something almost too familiar about her expression something that reminded River of Ivan. Which was really strange the girl didn't look anything like her parents. She had the same hair as Ivan, the nose, the eyes and also the same birthmark on the side of their necks. If she didn't know she would have thought Jessy was Ivan's daughter. The shape of her eyes, the way she tilted her head slightly when trying to understand something. They all were what Ivan would do, but since he was her father's twin, River didn't think much of it.

Ivan finally turned toward them, their eyes met the room felt too small again. River tried to look away first, but he didn’t let her. His gaze stayed on her for a long, heavy heartbeat—long enough that even Jessy looked between them with raised eyebrows. Marissa cleared her throat, pulling everyone’s attention back. “Let’s all sit down.” River took the seat opposite Jessy. Ivan sat across from Marissa, a little too close, a little too tense. River could feel his presence even without looking at him. It was maddening.

“Thank you both for coming,” Marissa began. “Today is simply for introductions and discussing next steps. Nothing is final yet.”

Jessy hugged her bear more tightly, watching the adults with quiet interest. "So,” Marissa continued gently, “Jessy, do you have any questions you want to ask?” Jessy’s voice was small, barely there. “Are they… both supposed to take care of me?”

Marissa gave her a warm smile. “Yes, sweetheart. Your parents chose River and your uncle Ivan because they trusted them very much.” River swallowed. She still didn’t understand why. Ivan’s eyes flicked briefly toward River, but he stayed silent. Jessy nodded slowly, processing. Marissa turned to the adults. “Now, before we talk about living arrangements, I’d like each of you to share a little about how you knew her parents. It may help Jessy feel safer.”

River’s mouth went dry.

Marissa gently prompted, “River, would you like to go first?”

River inhaled shakily. “I… I knew your mom, Naomi. We grew up and went to school together. She was kind, and she cared deeply about you.” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Your dad… I knew him too. A long time ago.”

Jessy blinked up at her. “Did you like them?” The question hit harder than it should have.

“I did,” River said softly. “Very much.” Jessy nodded as if accepting this.

Ivan cleared his throat, his voice deeper than usual. “ Jessy, I may have been away often, but you are my niece and I care about you. When your dad brought you home, I was so happy since we got to have a girl in our family. But Jessy’s dad was my twin. And Naomi was like a sister to me. I loved them both.” His jaw tightened. “Their daughter means everything to me.”

River felt that last sentence like a challenge. Jessy watched them with wide eyes that seemed to catch everything, including the sharp electrical tension crackling between the adults. Marissa continued with a calm smile, “Now, let’s discuss how the two of you plan to arrange things in the coming days—”

Ivan leaned back slightly, arms crossed. “Jessy will stay with me. At least for now.”

River stiffened. “No. She shouldn’t be thrown around or taken somewhere unfamiliar. I can take her home. I have a guest room, a stable place, and—”

Ivan scoffed. “Stable? You don’t even live here. You’ve been back for what—two days?"

" You have avoided this place like the Blake and even when Geff reached out to you, you didn't want to listen." Ivan thought of the many times his brother had confided in him that he had tried to seek forgiveness from River, but she hadn't been forthcoming.

Things may have ended badly, but Ivan thought River would finally come back home. That never happened until she had to be forced back by the CPS. If only River had known what her connection with this place was, she wouldn't have stayed away that much.

River shot him a sharp glare. “I can provide for her better than you. I have a flexible schedule, I have resources, and I’m not the one who’s a complete stranger to her.” Ivan’s jaw flexed hard. “She is my family.” Ivan was very capable of proving for Jessy, he had built a name for himself over the years, but he didn't think that would move River into leaving Jessy to stay with him.

“And she was Naomi’s daughter!” River fired back. “Naomi trusted me. That has to mean something.”

"That may have been the case ten years ago, but you never kept in contact with her too," Ivan replied. He could see the pain in River's eyes and hated himself for having said that. He too, wasn't a saint. He was one of the reasons why River left in the first place.

“It doesn’t mean you raised her alone,” Ivan snapped.

Jessy flinched at their raised voices.

River immediately softened her tone. “Ivan, she needs stability. Not conflict. Not chaos.” He met her eyes again, anger, hurt, and something else burning beneath the surface. Something dangerously close to longing.

“And you think you’re stability?” he muttered. “You? After disappearing for a decade?”

River’s breath caught. “Don’t do that.”

Jessy blinked rapidly, her little hands squeezing the bear tightly. Marissa instantly stepped in, her voice firm but gentle. “Enough.” Both River and Ivan froze like scolded teenagers.

“Jessy is watching,” Marissa reminded them quietly. “And she is already grieving more than anyone her age should.”

Shame washed over River. Ivan looked away first. Marissa continued, “Her parents specifically stated in their will that they wanted both of you involved. They wanted her raised by two people they trusted. Two people who could balance each other.”

River swallowed the lump in her throat.

“But why me?” she whispered. “Why would Naomi choose me after everything?” Soft silence filled the room. Marissa spoke quietly, “Sometimes people see the good in us even when we can’t see it ourselves. Naomi trusted you. Geff trusted Ivan. They wanted Jessy surrounded by people who loved her in different ways.”

Jessy’s small voice broke the heavy moment.

“Are… are you two going to fight all the time?”

River’s heart cracked again.

Ivan leaned forward, his voice surprisingly gentle. “No. We won’t.”

River nodded. “We’ll try not to. I’m sorry if we scared you.”

Jessy stared between them, then whispered, “Mommy used to say… two people who fight a lot probably care a lot.”

River choked on a breath. Ivan looked like he had been punched. Marissa smiled slightly, almost amused. “Children notice more than we think.” River and Ivan avoided each other’s eyes, but Jessy saw the glances they kept sneaking in. Marissa saw too, two intelligent adults, both denying what was right in their faces.

Marissa stood. “Let’s take a break. Jessy, would you like to show River the drawing you made earlier?”

Jessy nodded and took River’s hand gently. The softness of that gesture made River’s chest tighten in a way she wasn’t ready for. Ivan watched them, his jaw tight, his eyes unreadable. When the meeting wrapped up an hour later, arrangements still uncertain, but emotions painfully clear, Marissa walked them toward the exit. Jessy held River’s left hand. Ivan walked on the right, silent, brooding, but too aware of River’s every step.

The hallway door opened—

And everything inside River froze.

Standing just outside the CPS building were two older people wrapped in woolen coats. Their faces familiar. Too familiar.

Mr. and Mrs. Del Castro.

Geff and Ivan’s parents.

Jessy let go of her hand and ran forward. “Grandpa! Grandma!”

Mrs. Del Castro cried and hugged the little girl tightly, burying her face in Jessy’s hair.

Ivan stepped forward, trying to speak.

River stayed frozen in place.

Then Mr. Del Castro’s eyes lifted.

And landed on her, recognition flared, the panick, he looked at Jessy then Ivan the River. He took one stiff step toward her.

“You,” he said, voice low and full of panick. “What are you doing here?”

River’s breath hitched, Ivan instantly stepped forward, reaching toward her arm as if to shield her or pull her back. She didn’t know which.