I nod as we approach the door. On the other side is Paula. His hand hovers to knock, but he looks to me for confirmation. I nod.

His knocks echo the beating of my heart. The door flies open, and there she is.

My own eyes are staring back at me.

Her hand flies up to her mouth; tears begin to brim. “Oh my God.”

Before I can say anything, she grabs me tightly.

Sheriff Gleason guides us into the room and closes the door behind us.

“Oh, my sweet girl,” Paula sobs as she puts my face in her hands. “I have missed you so much.” She pulls me in again. “I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to let go.”

I can’t move a muscle. My arms remain limp by my side, but there’s a familiar smell to her. Maybe it’s the same perfume that Marian’s mom wears.

Or perhaps I hadn’t completely forgotten her.

I glance over at Sheriff Gleason and Grandma Gleason, who have their backs to us, wanting to give us some privacy, I guess.

“Hello,” a male voice says.

We finally break away, and a man whose voice matches the one I heard on our phone call stands before us. He’s wearing khaki pants and a black-and-white collared shirt under a peach sweater. He has neatly combed brown hair and wire-rimmed glasses. And he’s wearing penny loafers. Dad would definitely call this guy a square.

Paula wipes away her tears. “Oh, Amanda, this is my husband, Craig. I guess that makes him your stepfather.”

Craig laughs a bit, obviously uncomfortable about this. Which makes all of us. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to finally meet you, Ally.” He extends his hand, then stares at it. “Oh, that’s so stuffy. Come here.” He gives me a quick, almost formal hug.

After a round of introductions, we’re invited into the sitting area of their two-room suite.

“I have something for you,” Paula says as she goes over to a bag and pulls out a teddy bear with a red ribbon tied around its neck. It’s not a new teddy bear; it looks used, loved. “I don’t know if you remember Snuggles.”

I take the bear and put it in my lap. His black beaded eyes stare back at me. There’s something familiar about this bear. But it could be that I’m desperate to remember something. Anything.

“I need to thank you,” Paula says to Grandma Gleason, taking her hand. “She is extraordinary. Thank you for taking care of her.”

“It’s Dad,” I find myself saying. Everybody looks at me; the mood in the room shifts when I mention him. “He raised me. Although Grandma Gleason is like a grandmother to me.”