"You're leaving?" It was hard for her to focus now that Jacob cleared the air.

"Yes but just for a little while, Taylor." He grabbed her shoulders to stop her from moving around. She was worried and confused but he suggested. "You should come with me."

"I don't understand, Jake. What if he doesn't want to be found? What if it leads to a dead end? What if you get hurt?" She pulled herself away. "Don't you think it's a bit crazy? And you said he died."

"He ran away but there's hope now."

"Not for me, Jake. Not for us." She said with a snare.

He thought about how much he cared for Taylor and if searching for his father was worth it. Then suddenly Lily struck his mind like lightning. Whenever he thought about Taylor, Lily was behind her like a grisly shadow he couldn't ignore. Even if she wasn't there, he felt her presence like a ghost.

"Maybe I am selfish." She said. "And I'm sorry for that. You aren't the only one who wishes to find their father." She ran her fingers through her damp hair thinking about it. "If I were you, trust me, I would've done anything to get him back. So you should go and find your father, Jacob, I really want you to. I knew there was something bothering you and I want you to be happy. I'm just sorry it couldn't be with me."

"What are you saying?" He didn't get it, her words of solace and abscond.

Taylor held his hands; the contrast between them was like night and day, hers were soft and pink and Jacob's were rough and pale like the stalk of a mushroom. His fingers made hers look like tiny replicates of a doll and as they held hands, Jacob knew at that moment they didn't belong together... because he saw how their hands weren't a perfect fit. He believed in soul mates and he knew Taylor was his she wasn't the one he loved. She looked into both his eyes, wanting to come off as sincere as possible.

"There's nothing holding you back now." She gave him a little accessory. "Here." He looked at the hairpin, bit his lips then watched her. He nodded. "There's nothing holding you back, finding your father can be your only priority. You don't have to look back anymore." She walked to the door and as she slipped on her coat, he trembled to say. "I'm sorry it didn't work out." She couldn't see the tear that fell from his cheek because, by the time he looked up, she'd already left.

After a week went by, Lily started thinking about her mother more. She wondered what kind of woman she was if she looked exactly like Lily did. From what her father told her, her mother was just like herself with darker hair and greener eyes. She wanted to know if her mother would recognize her, even if she only held Lily for a second. A conversation with Mrs. Beckingham really made her think.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Scotle's new batch is here, Mrs. Beckingham. Would you like some of that?" Lily touched all the wines, pulled out each one, and checked the labels.

Jodi nodded and Lily popped the cap for her, she poured some out into the lipstick-stained glass.

"Come sit with me, will you?" She called for the girl and Lily confirmed.

"Yes?" She said.

"So, how was it?" She asked with a mischievous grin. She slapped Lily's thigh playfully when she stared, uncertain how to answer. "How was it? Staying here without me. William didn't cause any trouble, did he?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. It was okay." She smiled, thinking back on the day.

"Hmm." She took a sip and then nodded, slapping her lips together before turning to Lily. "He made crepes, didn't he?" She continued. "He's just like his father."

"Where is Mr. Beckingham? Is he~" She placed a finger on her lip, wondering if she was even allowed to ask.

"Dead? Ha, no. He's working. You'll see him soon enough." She looked down, drinking again.

"Can I ask a favor?" Lily knew the Beckinghams were well-known people so she figured Jodi could help her with the task she had in mind.

"Sure, darling. What might it be?" Jodi said.

"Do you know a man by the name of Peter Fisher? He's my grandfather. I'd like to meet him but I don't know where he lives."

The woman sat up, almost as if to tell a secret. "I've heard a lot about your family... and the way they treated your father and mother. Is searching for them now really something you want to pursue?"

Lily shook her head.

Jodi continued with a sigh, she stared into the glass like it was a fortune teller's ball. "Peter got his last name because he was a fisherman. He was uneducated and that was the only word he knew." She sat up. "I shouldn't be the one telling you about your family. If you want to... find Mr. Fisher, he still lives in an old boat by the shore."

"The beach?" She heard little about Peter, she didn't know he was a fisher or even that he lived in the same town as her but the sound of her Grandfather living by the water petrified her.

"Yes but I should warn you, he's a stubborn old thing." She laughed. "Don't mistake him for his wife."

After Lily finished her work that afternoon, she wanted so badly to go see the man since Jodi agreed to let her. She just couldn't though, she was scared. Of him? No, that aquatic scenery wasn't the thing for her. She opted for a better solution, one where she didn't have to go to his house to meet him but unfortunately, he never left it. She just couldn't do it so frightened by her phobia, she bit her tongue and sat still. Fisher kept her daily routine from that day and never broke it, she fled from anything that wasn't her norm and now, living with this family was her norm.