Eden
Two FBI agents picked up Eden from the safe house and drove her north to Chicago’s Executive Airport, a small airport for private planes and jets in a suburb called Wheeling. The weather was cooperating; it was a warm, sunny, April afternoon, but Eden fretted. The good news was that Georgia had Teagan and Sariah. The bad news was that Elijah was still at home, possibly with Covid. She should be grateful that Ada was looking after the children, but she worried how Teagan and Sariah would react when they saw their real mother and realized they’d been duped. How could she explain everything that had happened over the past few weeks?
She sat, restless and edgy, in the back seat of the black SUV, heart hammering in her chest. Their trust in her had to be undermined by her abrupt departure two weeks earlier, and Porter wouldn’t have made it any easier. He would have told them she was never coming back, and he would be their sole parent from now on. He’d label her a bad mother who disobeyed Mormon law and should be excommunicated.
They had to have felt abandoned, confused, and devastated. Eden felt heartsick that she was the reason. She vowed to spend the rest of her life making it up to them. At the same time, she was grateful to the FBI and Georgia Davis. Without their help, she might be isolated in Nauvoo, shunned by everyone including her children. Or dead. Instead, her precious babies would be in her arms shortly.
The agent in the front passenger seat took a call. “Okay. Got it. Roger.” He turned around to Eden. “Plane’s landing in ten minutes. We’ll be there in five.”
“Thanks.” She smiled weakly.
They drove out onto the tarmac and watched the Cessna swoop down for a perfect landing. Eden found it hard to contain herself— she wanted to run out to the still-moving plane. Finally, it stopped, a few yards from the SUV.
“We can get out now,” the FBI man in the passenger seat said. He climbed out of the front and opened the back door for Eden. She climbed out of the car and ran to the steps of the Cessna, which were now extended. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt that Agent Summerfield had found in a closet. That was a mistake, she suddenly realized. The kids had never seen her in anything but skirts, dresses, and long sleeves. Would they even recognize her? She worried a hand through her hair. That was different, too. Brown, now, and curly. What had she done?
She held her breath as the door to the Cessna opened. Georgia was first to appear; she waved to Eden and trotted down the steps. Teagan followed, and then Sariah. They each held one of her hands as they walked toward Eden. When they saw her, they stopped. A few seconds passed. Teagan inclined his head to the side, but Sariah just stared at Eden.
Georgia crouched down to their eye level. “Okay, now I have something to confess to you, and I hope you won’t hate me for it.” She swallowed. “I’m not your mom. I—I’m a friend of hers who happens to look just like her.” She yanked her thumb toward Eden. “That’s your mom. She changed her hair and her clothes. There was a good reason for it, and I’m sure she’ll tell you why.” Georgia looked at Sariah. “You were right, sweetheart. I don’t smell like your mom because I’m not her. And my voice isn’t hoarse. It’s just not the same as your mom’s. And now you can see that my hair is different, too.” She cupped Sariah’s face in her hands. “But your mom loves you very much, and this was the only way we could think of to get you three back together. Can you understand that?” She dropped her hands and held Sariah’s in one of hers.
Georgia waited for what seemed like forever. She knew Eden was probably holding her breath, too.
Sariah looked at Georgia, then at her mom, then back at Georgia. A gleam of triumph came into Sariah’s eyes. “I knew it! I knew you weren’t her!” She let go of Georgia’s hand and pointed to Eden. “That’s my mother!”
Georgia nodded.
Sariah ran to her mother. “I knew you’d come for us!”
Eden scooped Sariah up in her arms and clutched her so tight that Sariah squirmed. Eden didn’t seem to care. Nor did she seem to care that tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Georgia turned to Teagan. “And you, my Angel, stole your mother’s heart as soon as you were born. She couldn’t stop talking to me about you. She loves you so much it hurt my heart to listen. Can you forgive us for doing this to you? It was for a good reason, and your mom…and I…are sorry this was our only choice.”
Teagan swallowed. He’d always been mature for his age, Eden had told her. And now she could see it. He had something his father never could or would have: compassion. He ran to his mother and they stayed locked together for a long time. Then he untangled himself from her arms and walked back over to Georgia. “I understand, ma’am. Thank you for bringing us here.”
Georgia’s eyes filled and she hugged him.
Teagan was quiet for a moment. Then, “Can we go on your airplane again?”
Georgia grinned. “The plane? Of course. We’ll figure it out.”
“I loved it,” Teagan said. “People and cars were small as ants. And part of the time we were above the clouds. It was almost like we were going up to Heaven!”
Georgia smiled. “It’s like that, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “So we’re going to see you again?”
“I hope to bring Elijah here tomorrow,” Georgia said. “So yes, you’ll see me tomorrow.” She let him go and patted his back, “Go on, now. Your mom’s waiting for you.”