293 - Ella Walker

293 - Ella Walker
Ella Walker

The morning arrived with a sweet weight on my chest. Tomorrow, I would marry the love of my life. And yet, with everything planned, the dress hanging up, the flowers chosen, the vows written, my heart still felt burdened by something more. As if it knew, silently, that before building something new, there were still wounds that needed revisiting.

I joined my mother, Amélie, along with my mother-in-law Laís, Helena, and Fay, as we headed to the old parish that had been turned into a shelter. The gothic structure, perfectly restored, still held a sacred atmosphere, but now there was life, children running around, women helping with chores, voices echoing through the halls with something that, however subtle, felt like hope.

It was one of many places maintained by the Carter family, one of those where the empire’s money washed not only hands, but also some of the guilt no one dared to name. But to me, it was more than that. It was something absolutely necessary for that place.

Today, we were there for two reasons. First, to offer support to the women rescued the night before. They had been found in a container and abandoned like expired merchandise. My stomach churned just thinking about it.

The second reason was to meet Bishop Scott.

The family had asked, using every bit of their influence, for the Cardinal to officiate my wedding to Leon. But it seemed his health had declined in recent days, and now it would be the Cathedral’s Bishop who would be with us at the altar.

"I know it’s not what everyone wanted," my mother said as we stepped out of the vehicle.

"Don’t worry. Bishop Scott is a man of integrity, and committed to the family’s cause. He’ll conduct the ceremony with the solemnity it deserves." I looked at my mother-in-law, not quite understanding her choice of words.

I nodded, taking a deep breath. Part of me didn’t care about protocols. I just wanted to marry Leon. The other part knew how much political weight each wedding detail carried. Alliances would be sealed tomorrow. Confirmed presences would mark the beginning of a new era, including that of the man who nearly killed Leon.

My father-in-law had brought him here, I believe some sort of agreement had been made. The kind that only power and fear can turn into politeness.

I walked slowly through the parish’s corridors. My mother and the others were ahead, speaking with one of the nuns. But I was moving at a different pace. I was observing everything with more attention. I felt something unsettling me, as if I were being called by a beautiful melody.

And that’s when I saw her.

She was kneeling, her back to me, surrounded by small children. Her once-red hair was now blonde and tied back in a low bun. She wore a simple white blouse. Every word she spoke made the children laugh. Every gesture soothed some invisible pain. And even without seeing her face, my heart raced.

It was her.

My throat went dry. My legs nearly gave out. I wanted to run to her, to call her name

"Lessie!" but I was gripped by something that made me stop. Fear? Emotion? Hope?

She turned slightly to the side for just a moment. And in that fleeting instant, I knew. Her eyes were still hers, even if hiding behind a timid smile.

But before I could take a step, a gentle hand touched my arm.

"Miss Carter," the nun’s voice pulled me back to reality. "Bishop Scott is waiting for you. He said it was important."

I blinked a few times, trying to return to the present. I looked back toward the garden, but she had already gone. Swallowed up by the children, the shelter walls, the silence.

"Of course... let's go," I said, still staring at the now-empty space.

I was led to the private room where the Bishop awaited. A man perhaps a bit younger than my father-in-law, with a serene gaze, yet with the strength of someone who had heard and seen more than most could bear.

"Miss Walker," he smiled. "Or rather, future Mrs. Carter."

"I’ve felt like a Carter for a while now," I answered honestly.

He nodded, and his expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious.

"There are things you need to know. About what this wedding represents. About what your union with Leon symbolizes for this city and for this community."

I sat in silence, my heart still racing from seeing Lessie.

"I’m listening, Bishop."

"Tomorrow, when you say ‘I do,’ you won’t just be sealing a union, you’ll be ushering in a new cycle. And what follows will be far greater than any vow you’ve ever made."

He looked at me intensely.

"Are you ready for that?"

I closed my eyes for a moment.

I thought of Leon. Of Gavin. Of Lessie. Of the pain and love we all carried. Of everything we left behind to get here.

"Yes," I replied firmly. "I am."

But inside me, a certainty grew like a quiet fire: Lessie was here. And now, more than ever, I needed to bring her back. It’s time for her to come home.

With the meeting over, I said goodbye to the Bishop and left that room in search of my sister, because that’s how I feel about that wild soul. She shouldn't have left. She should’ve asked Gavin for help. I'm sure they would’ve done something to keep whatever it was away from her.

I walked through the same place looking for her, but there was no sign of her anymore, only the children were still there, playing. I approached them, hoping they could tell me where Lessie had gone.

The memories of when I saw her face transform flashed through my mind, and even though I knew the girl I considered a sister was something… abnormal, it didn’t stop me. On the contrary, I needed answers for something only Bear and I knew.

"Hi, girls!" I said as I approached the five girls sitting on the grass. "The girl who was with you a moment ago… was that Lessie?"

I saw them all glance at each other, and I felt a presence approaching from behind me.

"What are you doing here, Ella?" Laís said as she touched my shoulder.

I smiled at the girls, who were still exchanging wary looks, and I crouched down to their level. Deep inside, I felt I was right, that was Lessie who had been here.

"No…" I felt my body sink. "That was Ruby, and she said she’ll be back home soon if Gavin forgives her."

I felt Laís kneel down, taking the hand of the girl closest to her.

"Where did she go, sweetheart, where did Ruby say she was going?" she asked, desperate.

"Did she say anything else?" We began bombarding the children with questions.

"No, she just said that she loved you like the family she left behind, and that she was almost coming home, to this guy Gavin."

I looked at my mother-in-law and pulled one of the girls into a tight hug. They had no idea what a beautiful gift they had just given us, even though it brought many more questions than answers. Knowing that Lessie had been so close to us… it was a miracle, no one was expecting at that moment.

We left the children behind and met up with the rest of our group for the day.

"Lessie was here…" I said, looking at Helena, who turned pale.

"Where is she?" she asked, looking toward where we had just come from.

"I don’t know, when I came back, she was gone. But she left a message…" I looked at my mother-in-law.

"She said she’ll be back home soon, if Gavin forgives her." Everyone gasped.

"I'm going to give that girl a piece of my mind…" Helena began to cry. "She’s like a daughter, and how could she have the courage to disappear like that? Did we not give her enough trust to tell us what was troubling her?"

"You know what’s most interesting?" my mother asked as she gently stroked my husband’s godmother’s back.

We all looked at her, waiting for her to share what she was thinking.

"Ever since Lessie came into our lives, and even after she vanished like smoke, our love for her never changed. Not once did we consider the possibility that she was deceiving Gavin…"

And that’s when something inside me started to make sense. What I saw when she spoke to me and said goodbye, maybe that’s the explanation for why we all feel this way. But it still doesn’t explain why Gavin is getting worse every day.

"We have to find her, or my son is going to die, Laís. I want that girl back in our family!"

That wasn’t a mother’s plea. It was as if all our souls were begging for the return of someone we loved, even without knowing her entire past.

"We will find her, sooner than we imagined."