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Amelia Wilson had been found at the local hospital in Houston, TX when she was just a baby. Sitting outside the sliding glass doors with no note and no clue of who might have left her.
Two years ago, she took a chance and ordered the DNA kit, sending it in and waiting, scrolling through distant matches until an alert popped up on her phone one day:
Phoebe Alura. Listed as Close Family, Biological Mother. Location: Perth, Australia.
She frantically opened the app and paused on the empty message. There were so many things she wanted to ask, to say. So many things she’d imagined for so many years. And now she was drawing a blank.
She was still deep in thought as another alert sounded on her phone, showing up on the screen. A message sent. Just now. She stared at the phone, looking at the waiting message as the tip of her finger hovered just above the icon. She pressed it, watching the short message appear on her phone.
“We’ve been searching for you.” It said.
A shiver ran down Amelia’s spine as she read and re-read the short message. Thinking of how to respond. So many questions sprang from one sentence.
Who were ‘we’, and why were they looking for her?
She started a message, then erased it. Then started it again. How do you even begin to answer a message like that? She thought.
She decided to be direct, typing her message and pressing send: We should talk. Call me. (936) 638-4214.
She had no idea what time it was in Australia, but whatever time it was, Phoebe was apparently awake.
A few minutes later her phone rang, a string of numbers showed on the screen, with the location under it stating simply: Australia.
She ran through all the possible things that she could say as she watched the string of numbers pulse on the screen. She swiped just in time, slowly easing the phone to her ear.
“Hello?” She said with the hint of question, wondering what this woman could possibly have to say. What explanation she had. What truths she had to tell that Amelia needed so desperately to hear.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear your voice,” A thick Australian accent came across the speaker. “We’ve been looking for you for years, darling.”
The voice sounded young. Much younger than she expected, as caution and suspicion overtook her excitement. If this was someone’s idea of a trick, it was certainly a cruel one.
The voice continued, as Amelia searched for how to answer. “I know you must be confused. You must have so many questions,” She said.
“I have hundreds, actually,” Amelia said, on guard and slightly peeved.
“And I’m ready to answer them,” The woman on the other end of the phone said. “At least the ones I can.”
“Where did you drop me, when you decided you didn’t want me?” Amelia let her anger slip through just a bit, as she waited again.
“At the hospital in Houston, just outside the sliding doors. Snuggled in a white blanket and tucked into a basket. We made sure you were safe before we left. And you were not unwanted. Not one bit. I never wanted to let you go. But it was for the good of us all,” She explained.
“You’re not making any sense,” Amelia said, wishing the woman on the phone would stop talking in riddles. “Who are ‘we’?”
“I need you to come home Amelia. Home to Australia. It’s time you rejoined the Colony,” She said.
The next day she put in her vacation request and three weeks later, found herself at the airport in Perth. Ready to meet a woman she’d always wondered about, and to find the answers she needed.
Amelia looked at her phone, still re-reading the texts from the woman who claimed to be her mother. The pictures she sent must have been from a while ago. The vague and confusing explanations all ran through her mind as she sat.
Finally, the pilot came over the speaker, announcing the time, asking all passengers to stay seated until the seatbelt light was turned off.
Even the direct flight had taken nearly an entire day. An entire day spent sitting on a plane. Even with the first-class treatment it was still an entire day spent sitting on a plane.
Amelia was irritated as she walked down the ramp. The time change was messing with her mind. And she was minutes away from meeting the woman who dumped her at a hospital shortly after she was born.
She didn’t know what to expect, but at the same time, if this turned out to be a shit-show, she had two full weeks to discover the land down under. She’d make the most of her time, regardless.
When she stepped into the terminal, she spotted her name on a card. Walking up to the strange man, she introduced herself. “I’m Amelia,” She huffed. He flashed a bright smile, then bowed. “I’m so happy to meet you, Ma’am. I’m Trevor. Let’s see about your luggage,” He said, grabbing her carry on without asking.
She followed him through the terminal, thankful that he knew where they were going at least. She looked at the other people around her, passing by, lost in their own thoughts and plans. She noticed their attire was drastically different than hers. The light tank top layered with a cardigan and shorts she wore said to her that she was slightly underdressed.
Leaving Texas in July it was nearing 100 degrees in the early afternoons. She’d packed light, cool clothing. From what she knew about Australia, it was just as hot as Texas, but covered in dusty deserts and filled with kangaroos.
“Excuse me, why do I get the feeling I misjudged my outfit?” She asked Trevor, who grinned good-naturedly at her question.
“Because it’s about 11 degrees outside today. Celsius,” He said with a laugh. “Don’t worry, Miss. Your mother has a suitcase for you in the car.”
“She’s not my mother,” Amelia shot back. “She’s . . . I don’t know what she is.”
“Apologies. Miss. Phoebe has taken care of your wardrobe. She has excellent taste,” He said.
Mentioning Phoebe as her mother made her think. What would she call this woman? This person who for all purposes, did have the title of being her mother. If only in a biological sense. But nevertheless, her mother.
Even though she did drop her off at a hospital when she was days old, just to seek her out after 25 years and beg her to come home to Australia, half a world away. Her mind continued to spiral as they walked.
Would she be offended to be called Phoebe, or even Mrs. Alura? She didn’t want to offend the woman, but yet again, she couldn’t think of a title that felt comfortable to her yet.
Trevor was nice enough to pick up her suitcase filled with useless clothing from the carousel, wheeling it through the throngs of people, and into the chilly outside air. At least the sun was shining, she thought.
She continued to follow her escort to a long black limousine parked along the curb, in the reserved area at the terminal entrance, which only further piqued her curiosity. Was Phoebe trying to make an impression, or did she have this kind of money? The questions only mounted on her already long list.
They must have been in a hurry, or late. Trevor nearly threw her case and bag into the trunk, then hurried her into the car, running around to the driver's side and flinging himself inside. “All set Miss,” he said brightly. “Window up or down, Miss?” he asked.
“Oh, down is fine. And please, call me Amelia,” She could tell he was trying to be polite, but they could skip formalities. They were about the same age, from what she could tell. And she wasn’t sure how to respond to the over the top treatment he was giving her.
“Sure thing Amelia. Your, uh, Phoebe is waiting for you at one of the best restaurants in town. I hope you’re hungry,” He said.
“I’m starved and still chilly. Did you mention something about warm clothes?” She asked with a grin.
“Yes Ma’am. I’ll turn up the heat. And they’re in the suitcase right behind me. I’ll put up the window to give you some privacy to change,” He said, raising the blackout partition window. In fact the entire car was blackout windows she noticed, as she groped for a switch, turning on the overhead dome light.
She drug the suitcase toward her, with a bit of effort. There must be a ton of things in there. Apparently shopping was a favorite activity of Phoebe’s. Either that or she figured that Amelia would come unprepared, which irked her for some reason.
Unzipping the top, she saw a carefully packed trove of pants and sweaters, along with a pair of black combat or hiking boots, which seemed odd, considering they were going into town.
Amelia shrugged. It wasn’t her idea of fashion, but then again, what did she know about Australian fashion anyway? She chose a pair of jeans and a deep green sweater along with a pair of socks for the boots.
She kept her back turned to the front of the limo as she quickly stripped, piece by piece, and put on her new clothes. They fit perfectly. Together they looked nice, and most importantly, she was warm now, thank God.
They made the drive in under ten minutes, which had barely given her enough time to change, let alone think. She felt the limousine start to slow as she looked out the heavily tinted windows at the massive hotel that towered into the sky. “We’re at a hotel,” She said flatly, as Trevor rolled down the window to the back an inch or two.
“Yes, Ma’am. Miss Phoebe wasn’t sure if you’d want to stay with her or have a place of your own, so she reserved the penthouse for you. I’ll bring your bags up to your room for you, while you get to know Miss Phoebe in the restaurant downstairs whenever you’re ready.”
“I’m good,” Amelia said, throwing her light clothes in the suitcase and zipping it back up.
Again he darted out of the front, running to the back for her personal luggage and opening her door while grabbing the suitcase from inside. She took her time getting out and looking around, then noticed how uncomfortable Trevor looked as he waited impatiently for her to come inside.
She supposed there would be plenty of time for sight-seeing. She’d be here for two full weeks. Walking up the to the hotel, Trevor darted past her, opening the door wide for her, then following right behind. Inside the building, under the florescent lights, she saw the reason for Trevor’s discomfort.
The skin on his arm had darkened in blotches, some kind of reaction to the sun she guessed. At once she felt bad. If he had told her, she wouldn’t have dawdled. But, by the time they had checked in at the front, the spots had already begun to fade.
“Thank you so much for the ride, Trevor,” She said. “Which way to the restaurant?” She asked, instantly nervous again at the thought of meeting the woman who claimed to be her mother.
Trevor pointed directly behind her. “Just through there, Miss. I’ll have your things in your room, and here is the key card.” He handed over the white plastic card, as she slipped it into her back pocket. With a swift nod or half-bow, he excused himself to the elevator banks just off the main lobby.
She was stalling. She was nervous. Incredibly nervous, and scared. Now or never, she said to herself, putting one foot in front of the other, and heading toward the hallway. Café LuLu was, from the outside, quite an elegant place for a hotel restaurant.
The hostess opened the door wide to an empty room. Empty except for one table by the window. “Welcome Amelia,” The hostess greeted her by name, showing her into the dining room.
Either this was an elaborate set-up, or she was being put on some kind of creepy reality TV show.
The woman at the table looked wrong. She looked . . . young. Too young. The two women looked nearly identical. So similar, it forced Amelia to blink against the bright light, questioning whether or not she was imagining things.
They had the same curly dark brown hair and light blue eyes. The same nose and the same high cheekbones. The only difference being their skin color. Amelia had the pale skin she’d always hated. While her mother’s skin was a deep brown tan, which only accentuated her eyes more.
Surely this was a joke, she thought as she forced herself to walk closer to the woman at the table.
The woman stood and held her arms wide open for a hug. Amelia offered her hand instead, which evoked little if any emotional response, she noticed. Her mother politely shook her hand instead, retaining her stoic face.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Amelia. Would you like to take a seat?” Her mother asked, gesturing to the table. Amelia picked the chair directly across from her twin and much to her frustration, could not seem to stop staring. The resemblance was uncanny. Spooky. And it reeked of a scam.
“How old are you?” Amelia asked candidly. Her mother giving her a smile, not unnerved or shocked at all by the question. In fact she seemed entertained by it, prepared for it.
“How old do you think I am?” She asked.
“You look about as old as me, which seems impossible considering that you’re claiming to be my birth mother. So, if this is a joke, just tell me now, and I’ll use my time here doing something fun, then take my free ticket and go back home,” She said, making a move to stand from the table.
“I am your mother,” She said in a soft voice, trying to be convincing. “And I’m 63 years old. And I don’t for a minute expect you to believe me, so. . . .” The woman stared at Amelia, holding her captive with a stare, as she felt something strange shift in her mind, thoughts being moved, and feelings being created.
Immediately and for no reason whatsoever, she instantly trusted the woman across the table from her. Knew that she was telling the truth, and felt deep inside that she would not hurt her or lie to her. She didn’t understand how she knew, she just . . . knew.
“I believe you,” Amelia told her.
“I know all of this is odd, to say the least. But I promise you that by the end of today you’ll have a better understanding of who I am, who we are, and most importantly, who you are. I promise to tell you everything I can.
“You are here as a guest. Our guest and you can leave any time you wish. You can say no to anything. But we do need you and you are special Amelia. More special than you can imagine,” Her mother said, reaching out and placing her hand over her daughter’s. Her gentle and soothing tone helping to put Amelia even more at ease.
“Can I ask, why am I so important? And, if I’m so damned important, why did you leave me at a hospital when I was only a few days old?” Amelia asked, her emotions warring inside her mind. Anger and sadness were fighting for control. But something was keeping them controlled. In check.
“I can tell that you’re unsure of how to feel right now. And that’s ok. I’ve been nervous these past few months too. I mean, how can you explain something like this?
“I can tell you that leaving you in Houston was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Letting you grow up apart from the Colony, letting you be free to be yourself. But it was absolutely necessary,” She paused, letting Amelia take in everything she was saying.
“The Colony . . .?” Amelia led off as a question.
“We are a community. A family. We’re special and unique, like you. And in two days you’ll join us for the Celebration, learning more about us and your background,” Her mother said brightly. “Would you mind if I asked you some questions?” Her mother continued.
“Of course,” she replied and waited.
“Let’s move away from the window first,” She said standing and bringing her cup of tea along with her. They moved to a table in the corner, in the shadows. “Watch closely,” Her mother said, as they sat in silence.
Amelia stared, watching her mother’s skin slowly, very slowly, start to blotch in the same way Trevor’s had. The deep tan was now a mottled white and brown pattern on her arm, which traveled to her face.
“Don’t be frightened, I can feel it changing, so I know you can see it too,” She said in a calm voice.
Five minutes later her mother’s skin had lightened to the same pale complexion Amelia had naturally. “How? Wait, I saw the same thing, for a second earlier. With Trevor,” Amelia said.
“It’s a trait our bloodline shares,” She said. “Did you, do you, burn quickly when you’re in the sun for too long?”
“I do. I have to wear sunblock all the time or I turn red. Not tan, like you,” She answered.
“And your eyes. They’re blue like mine. Do you have problems with light sensitivity, even inside?”
“How do you know all of this?” Amelia asked.
“Because we do too. Our entire bloodline. Before we are Unbound, and still human, we have things that make us different and unique already. I expected you to be the same in some ways, maybe different in others,” She tried to explain in that same esoteric way that left Amelia slightly frustrated.
“I feel calm when I should be freaking out. Why am I so calm? And what do you mean Unbound?”
“Do you feel things deeply? Know what other people are thinking and feeling just by their demeanor, or by the way they look. Are you sensitive? Do you pick up on things that others don’t?”
“Yes,” Amelia said, waiting for the next question.
“I do too. You’re most likely an empath, like me. That’s why I could reach into your mind and influence your emotions and your thoughts so easily. I can influence you to feel things, or not feel things. Like convincing you to feel a certain way, without using words. Just now I influenced you to feel like you could trust me, that I’m telling you the truth, and that I would never hurt you.”
“Okay, I can’t do that. At least I don’t think I can.”
“No, not while you’re still bound to your mortal self. It’s a lot to explain, and there are a lot of unbelievable things still to come. But I promise you that very soon, you’ll understand everything.” She winked, as she sipped her tea again.
They ordered dinner as Amelia continued to ask questions. Most of which were promised to be answered later. She did make sure though to ask about her father.
“I will tell you this. Within the Colony, we have laws. Rules that must be observed. Most importantly, the men of our tribe can only have children with Unbound women.
“And before a woman can Unbind, she must bear two children, to keep the bloodline growing. I had already had Michelle and Robert before I met your father.” She looked down. A flash of sadness crossing her face.
“He was from a different bloodline. You are something special, my darling. Something unique. Something that could change the Colony. That’s why my special girl, it was time for you to come home.”