Chapter Sixty-Three
Ana
I stared directly at the mature woman standing right in front of me, my mind reeling from a storm of conflicting emotions. I desperately didn't want to believe that this was a cruel trick, or that she was somehow not my actual mother. It couldn't be. This entire situation couldn't be right. My soul refused to accept that I was dreaming.
I walked slowly and hesitantly toward her frame across the floorboards. Slowly, I lifted my trembling hands into the air, reaching out toward her cheeks because I desperately wanted to touch her skin and be absolutely sure that this wasn't just a hallucination born of my deepest wishes. Before my fingers could connect with her face, she reached out, gently wrapping her palms over my hands, and offered me a soft, emotional smile.
