Lori found a pair of shoes that used to belong to her daughter, who disappeared 22 years ago, while working as a nanny. It was something Lori never expected to find again. The shoes, a sobering reminder of the past, had for some reason ended up in the house where she was taking care of a little child. Pulling the lid off another dusty box, Lori sat on the living room floor, her hands shaking. Her mind was overtaken by recollections from the past, which made the atmosphere heavy and unsettling. Marissa, the adorable three-year-old whom Lori was watching after, stood close by, her big eyes full of confusion. Marissa was baffled as to why Lori was crying so much. With tears running down her face, Lori was holding onto a small child’s shoe in her hands.
Her daughter, who vanished 22 years ago, had owned this shoe. Her brain raced, trying to figure out what was going on, but nothing made sense. At that moment, Lori heard footsteps and heard the front door crack open. Marissa’s mother Emily walked into the room, her expression worried. “Lori, how are you doing?” Emily questioned, her voice quivering with anxiety. Lori kept her head down. “Where did you obtain these shoes?” she said, her voice cracking slightly. Emily’s pulse pounded. Her eyes slid to the tiny shoe and then to Lori.
She struggled to find the appropriate words and mumbled, “I…It was the first vacation Olive had taken without her, and Lori’s heart ached. Chris, Olive’s father, was bringing her to Scotland. It was unclear to Lori if she could rely on him to manage things. She felt nervous at the notion of being apart from her tiny girl and how far Scotland seemed to be. Little Olive, who was four years old, bounded into the room as she closed the luggage. “Why can not you come with us, Mom?” Olive questioned, her huge eyes gazing up at Lori.
Beside her, Lori crouched and grinned. “Sweetheart, although I would love to, this vacation is special for you and your dad.” Olive scowled. “Without you, what will I do?” “You will like spending time with your grandparents,” Lori remarked, removing a curly strand from Olive’s visage. You will discover more about Scotland and the area where your dad was born. It is a component of your identity.
Olive’s worried eyes widened. “But you will be missed,” Lori grabbed Olive into an embrace while her heart ached. I too will miss you, my love. Still, in five days we will be back together before you know it. Olive withdrew slightly, her expression contemplative. “Is five days enough or not enough?” “A tiny bit,” Lori remarked, petting her daughter’s cheek. “The time will fly by.”
Olive slowly nodded. “All well, but let us make sure we see each other soon. I swear you will miss me. With a smile, Lori gave Olive a head kiss. “I swear to you, sweetie. I will really miss you. She refused to let go of Olive and hugged her tight. Chris came to get Olive a few hours later. Lori bent over and carefully put Olive’s tiny shoes on.