“I’m your grandmother; I’m supposed to spoil you.” She gives my leg a pat as I begin to delicately tear the wrapping paper. I open the box and find a silver pendant shaped like a sundial. “It was my mother’s,” she explains as she starts to put it around my neck. “She said that with this you always know when you are, not necessarily where you are, and, well, I think it suits you.”

“I can’t,” I protest.

“Nonsense, every one of my grandchildren gets something from my mother when they turn eighteen. I’m happy that I am able to give it to you.”

I touch the necklace as it lies on my chest. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She takes my hand. “Listen, Ally, being an adult means you have to sometimes make tough decisions.”

A lump gets caught in my throat. I have made a tough decision. And it’s going to affect everybody in this room.

She cups my chin with her hand. “Even when you were gone, all I ever wanted was for you to be safe and happy.”

“I was.”

She smiles at me. “I know. And I want you to also be happy now.”

That’s all I want, too.

I open my mouth, but we’re interrupted by Paula clinking her glass.

“Can I have your attention?” Paula says. “Just for a moment.”

“That means shut up, Randy!” one of my older cousins, or maybe an uncle, shouts to the laughter of the group.

Paula smiles as she looks around the room and finally settles on me. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that this day has finally come. My baby is back home for her birthday. And she’s an adult! Eighteen.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I’ve had some dark times during most of those eighteen years, but our Amanda has come back to the light. I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become. My beautiful, smart daughter.”

As much as we don’t understand each other, Paula has loved me every day for the past eighteen years, even though she had no idea where I was or even if I was alive. I hope someday I can repay her with that kind of love. But love takes time. As does trust.

“Speech!” someone calls out.

See, this is how much my Florida family doesn’t know me. There’s no way anybody back home would ask me to make a speech. They would know how horrified I’d be. If I were ever in this position, someone would save me. Dad or Neil or any of the Gleasons.

Yet nobody is saying anything. They’re waiting for me. And I do owe them something. There are going to be a lot of questions soon, so better let them know that it’s not them, it’s me.