S2W50 Finale: “Reunion”

© 2022 Phylicia Joannis

Miracle placed her hand against her abdomen as the agent finished writing down her statement. When he was done, he looked up at her and extended his hand.

“Thank you for your cooperation with our investigation, Miracle. We’ll be in touch.”

She nodded and left the office, feeling numb after recounting the events that had led up to this moment. Her phone rang, a call from Jane Truman. They had a lunch date set up after her interview was over. It would be a much-needed reunion.

***

“How are you feeling, dear?” Jane asked as she poured her a glass of lemonade. She’d begged off when Jane had offered her tea.

Miracle considered the question. “My feelings are all over the place, honestly. But mostly, I think I’m grateful. Looking back at everything that’s happened, I realize that I wasn’t as alone as I thought.”

Jane nodded knowingly and sipped her own beverage. “It’s amazing how everything worked out in the end. You endured so much, but look at you now. All healed.”

“On the outside, at least.” Miracle frowned. “It still hurts when I think about it.” She sniffed and wiped away a tear. “Makes me wonder what was wrong with me.”

“Nothing was wrong with you, Miracle. Your parents made choices that had nothing to do with you. You’re alive, and you’re free to make your own choices. Don’t let them stop you, not even for a second. There are so many people who are glad that you’re here.” The doorbell rang and Jane smiled. “Speak of the devil.”

Miracle watched her as she answered the door. Penny entered with Marcos and Simon behind her, followed by Chase and Zinnia. Charles Jameson ambled in behind them with his hands in his pockets.

“Miracle!” Penny grabbed her up in a hug as warm as sunshine. A round of hugs and handshakes followed before everyone settled down, enjoying Jane’s homemade cookies as they discussed the afternoon’s events.

“It’s been a year already.” Zinnia scratched her head. “They’re still calling you back to the FBI for questions?”

“It’s not unusual for investigations to drag out,” Simon replied. “It’s fairly standard to follow up with witnesses.”

“It’s funny, isn’t it, how all the pieces fell into place?” Penny looked around at the group.

Simon nodded. “Yes. Donna Ellison and Mayor Blume had a fiscal relationship that allowed her to run a drug facility underground undetected for years. But once he died, that relationship ended.”

“And Donna needed to tie up those loose ends,” Jameson offered, then winced. “Sorry, Miracle. That was insensitive.”

Marcos stared daggers at him, but Miracle shrugged. “It’s alright.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Chase sighed and shook his head. “What you did was dangerous, Miracle. You could have died–”

“But it was necessary!” Simon cut in. “Between me and Sydney, we had all the pieces together, but no proof. The FBI couldn’t move without it, and time was running out. Without Miracle, we wouldn’t have been able to do anything until after the bombs went off.” Simon gave Miracle a look of admiration.

“Lucky your phone started working again, eh, mi corazon?” Marcos nudged Miracle. “I’m still a little hurt you didn’t call me.” He pouted and Miracle squeezed his hand.

“I don’t know where the thought came from, honestly. I was running through the house, looking for my moth- for Donna, and I realized that even if I confronted her, there wasn’t much I could do to stop her. The thought struck me to check my phone, and when it turned on, I called Chase. I told him to record the conversation and stay on the line, no matter what happened. I wasn’t sure what Simon was doing, but I hoped if Chase sent him the file, at least we’d have proof.”

“So you heard when Ryan . . .?” Zinnia stared at Chase without finishing her sentence.

Chase nodded and ran his hand through his hair. “I would have strangled him through the phone if I could. I don’t understand how he could do something like that. And after everything we’ve been through.”

“You know what really doesn’t make sense to me?” Jameson paused, waiting for permission to continue, and Miracle nodded at him. “The underground facility. With so much soil instability already, why risk damaging the city by creating it? All the sinkholes took place near the facility. It’s probably the cause. Why would Mayor Blume risk destroying downtown?”

“The insurance money.” Simon shrugged. “Mayor Blume owned half the buildings in the city. So, he’d generate revenue either way.”

“Guess that explains why he always called it ‘My City,’” Penny quipped. “But he died before he could get any of that money.”

“What goes around comes around,” Jane spoke sagely. The conversation shifted to other things, and as the hours ticked by, everyone began to slowly trickle out of Jane’s house. Zinnia bowed out first.

Chase lingered beside Miracle as Penny and Marcos said their goodbyes. “My offer still stands, you know.”

Miracle’s lip quivered at the sincerity in his voice. Now that she was officially out of the foster care system, Chase had offered to let her stay with him. So had Zinnia, Jane, and Penny. Marcos too, but after a glare from his sister, and a reminder that technically he didn’t have a place, he’d recanted. Miracle had never felt so loved.

“Thank you, Chase. I’ll think about it.”

Chase made his way out with Simon at his heels. Miracle stopped him before he left. “Simon, just a minute?”

Simon walked over to her with a serious expression on his face. “Is this about the . . .”

Miracle nodded. “They said they’d call when they’re ready.”

Simon sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Are you ready for this?”

She nodded. She’d waited her whole life for this moment. There was no turning back, now.