…and the soldiers stood at attention, saluting their superior officer, the lieutenant-general, as she entered the room, in the uniform of one of the highest ranks in the military.
The family stared dumbfounded at her, standing there proud and dignified from a child they had rejected – their own blood child.

The mother cried quietly as the lieutenant-general stared at them, her eyes emitting cold fury. She had lived for this day, to see them suffer, cry and beg for forgiveness as she had cried and cried when she was thrust into strange hands that stormy night as the ship sailed away to an unknown place.

She sat down and spoke in a deep South American accent. Her voice was low, but had a sharp edge as the storm outside continued to rage.
“Lies, scorn and rejection, stories of your lives. You continued to live and make your name in society because there was nothing and no one that would bring shame to the family, she was gone.”
She looked at the distressed mother, “Many bad things could have happened to that child, but the traders, merciless businessmen, felt pity for her and sold her to a wealthy childless couple, kind people who gave her a good life.”

“God answered my prayers,” the mother sobbed, “I begged him every day to take care of you.”
Lieutenant General Morales looked at the mother, unmoved by that heart-wrenching display of emotion, and turned her attention to the father.

“She was dead to you, wasn’t she? You couldn’t even say she was your child, such scorn and hate for your own. What did she do so wrong? She was only six, innocent to the world.”
He couldn’t answer. The enormity of the wrongs done by his hands against his own child was cutting into him like a sharp sword.

“I can kill you now,” she said icily, “But that’s too easy a punishment for a heartless father like you.”
She sat back in the chair, taking her time, having carried this weight on her mind for 22 years.

“A brother protects his sister. Doesn’t he?” she asked of the brother. She called for you, she screamed for you but you never came. But when you saw what had happened to her, you lied, so shame was cast on her. What happened to a brother’s love?”

The brother broke down crying, “I am so sorry, I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Please forgive me.”
A small, cynical smile played at the corner of her mouth,
“You, as the eldest son, was the pride of the family enjoying their love and attention, never sparing a thought for your little sister. And now you want forgiveness?”
He bent his head, too ashamed of himself to look at her. The sword of guilt cutting into him even deeper.

“Ahana.”
She turned as the mother called her name, a name she hadn’t heard for so many years.
“You loved me so much. Why did you let him take me away that night?” she asked.
The cold fury ebbing a little from her eyes.

“I cried for you until I couldn’t cry anymore.”
The mother’s lips quivered, “I tried but I lost because I couldn’t win against him with his brutal fists and threats. All I could do was pray for you.”
Her voice broke as she looked at her daughter, “I prayed for you every day for 22 years, and in my mind, I walked with you every step so no harm could come to you.”

The General said nothing for a long while then she stood up, her face impassive, seemingly unmoved by the mother’s words and tears but underneath the soldier’s uniform was a woman whose heartbeat with love and compassion, who could cry and laugh.
She nodded to a soldier to untie the mother’s hands.

“Take her to the guest house and have her refreshed and relaxed, I will talk to her later.”
She turned to the father and brother, the cold fury back in her eyes.

“It’s too late for apologies, I just wanted to make sure you suffer for what you did to me.”
She directed an order to her soldiers, “Take them back to their home, I’m done here.”

She left the army base for the guest house where her mother awaited her.
General Morales changed from her uniform to a simple dress, letting her hair down, a relaxed look on her face – the woman she was, just Gabriella.
As she entered the room, her mother rose from the sofa, her face lighting up with a smile at the different look.
“You’re as beautiful as I always imagined you would be.”

For the first time that night, she saw her daughter smile a smile that drew tears to her eyes.
“Whoever you are now, you’re still my sweet Ahana.”
“I am happy to hear that,” Gabriella said, embracing her mother.
It is such a long time to be held by those loving arms again, to hear that affectionate voice. They sat together talking over cups of coffee as the sun rose, sleeping far distant from their minds.
“There is only one regret,” the mother said.

“What is that?”
“I can’t have the special wedding celebration I wanted for you.”
Gabriella smiled, “Maybe you can.”

She said something in spanish to the waiter serving breakfast, and a few moments later, a most handsome man entered the room.
He was dressed casually, the soldier who had been asking the questions in the interrogation room. Gabriella rose and he embraced her, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“Mom, this is my fiance, Javier.”

The mother smiled happily, “Thank you, dear Lord. It gets better.”
Javier was not a soldier although he had served in the military. He was a director in his family’s oil company but he had just accompanied her on this trip to help her find closure that had been like a great burden on her mind.

“Now I can have my celebrations,” her mother said as they ate breakfast together.
“What celebrations?” Javier asked.
“You’ll have to ask her,” Gabriella said with an innocent smile.