Warren almost swallowed his tongue as he gaped at the three Americans standing in his doorway. He blinked at the sight of the woman flanked between the two men. Same build as Ameya except that her swollen belly jutted out in front of her otherwise slim frame. Her heart-shaped, coffee-colored skin was similar, her pert nose and full lips curled up as Ameya replicated in a softer, maternal form.
Sure he’d seen her in pictures and reconciled that indeed Ameya was a twin but seeing her standing in the middle of his office was mind-boggling to say the least.
He blinked when she raised a shapely brow at him and snapped his jaw in place before dragging his eyes back to Jonathan. “You’re here…” he said dumbly, quietly gesturing to the corner of chairs. Stepping around the desk, he walked over to meet them by the chairs, offering a smile and forcing himself not to gape at Ameya’s lookalike.
She stepped forward and stuck out a hand in front of her stomach, a beaming smile in tow. “My name is Tampa. I’m Hannah’s sister and this big lug’s wife… You must be Warren, Hannah’s boss?”
It took Warren to process all she’d just said even though he knew it already. He quietly took her hand and squeezed it gently before releasing it. “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Tampa.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Warren.” She nodded when he gestured to the chairs and took her seat. The two men obediently sat beside her and Warren did the same, taking his seat opposite her. “Now I want to know where my sister is…”
Marcus managed a smile at Warren’s bewildered expression. “She doesn’t waste time.”
“You guys have done enough of that,” Tampa answered easily, smiling sweetly at the stunned tour manager. “I’m sure you have her address and could give it to us?”
“Uh, I don’t think…” Warren started hesitantly, shifting his eyes to Jonathan who merely stared back at him intently. He cleared his throat and returned his gaze back to Tampa whose shapely brows lifted inquisitively.
“You don’t think what?” Tampa urged patiently. “Listen, Mr. Warren… I’m over seven months pregnant and traveled a long way to see my long lost sister who has been missing for almost nine years. Are you going to keep me waiting longer to reunite with her?”
Marcus and Jonathan exchanged a glance as Warren shook his head reluctantly and pulled out a pen to scrawl out the requested address. “I’m sure there are laws against what you just did,” he muttered to Tampa as soon as they exited the tour building.
“You’re welcome,” Tampa sing-songed and hooked an arm under his as they strolled to the waiting car parked at the side of the road. “Let’s go get my sister.”
—
Genevieve gaped openly at Ameya’s haggard expression, her straw hanging from her mouth. Pulling it from her lips and depositing it into the cup, she shook her head. “You’re joshing me right, Ameya?” When the woman merely heaved a sigh and lowered her eyes to her hands, Genevieve swallowed a scoff. “That is… this is…”
“Unreal,” Ameya supplied with a sardonic smile, lifting a trembling hand to her face. Truth be known, ever since yesterday she hadn’t been able to sleep a wink, thoughts of Jonathan haunting her all through the night. She still couldn’t place him anywhere else but those fleeting dreams and the missing parts in her memory were becoming a pestering feeling that wouldn’t let up.
“So he’s Tomas’ father… And your lover,” Genevieve breathed in awe. “Wow.”
Ameya’s cheeks warmed, her body tingling under Genevieve’s words and she scowled against the feeling it stirred within. “All this time and he didn’t say anything to me. I was a fool in front of him, while he knew who I was.” She blinked, feeling the tears gather around her eyes.
“Oh Ameya, do—” she paused as a tentative knock on Ameya’s front door interrupted their talk.
Ameya groaned, covering her eyes. “If that’s Neve, tell him I don’t want to talk to him…” She didn’t want to admit that he was right. That it did no good for her to dig into her past. The misery had settled in and wouldn’t budge even if she tried to push it away.
The knock persisted and Genevieve sighed, hesitantly standing to her feet. “He’s just looking out for you.” She walked up to the door and peered out through the window, ready to give Neve the message. The words froze on her tongue as a cold shiver skittered up her spine. “Mon Dieu…” she breathed sharply.
At the woman’s sharp whisper, Ameya lifted her eyes toward the door. “What is it?”
“You have to come here now, Ameya. Like now.” Genevieve gestured quickly toward the door and Ameya frowned, pushing to her feet. “Oh my God.”
Curiosity and trepidation rolled into one, Ameya shuffled quickly to the door and peeked over Genevieve’s shoulder out onto her front porch. She inhaled sharply as she noticed the two men filling the space in front of her door and before the anger could surge up in her throat, it got stuck as her eyes fell on the petite woman in front of them. Her knees buckled under her as she gaped at her own face staring back at her. It was too late to duck behind Genevieve since the woman’s brown eyes had now collided into hers. Ameya forced out a shaky breath and stepped away from the door. “Open it,” she said calmly although her heart was a racing mess.
Reluctantly, Genevieve shifted to the front of the door and twisted the knob, pulling it open.
Seeing the woman facing her head on, Ameya had to straighten her back and steel her shoulder before she would fall on her knees. Her heart slammed against her chest as the woman’s brown eyes softened on her face. Ameya felt her cheeks tingle under the woman’s warm and familiar gaze, barely noticing the men standing behind her.
This woman with her face didn’t take one step inside and merely stood by the door. Her full lips lifted in a soft, serene smile that Ameya had seen before. “Hello Hannah…” the woman said gently and Ameya’s eyes instantly filled with tears, blurring the vision of the woman standing before her.
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