I take a deep breath and open my eyes. My beating heart slows as I finally see my mother's gravestone. I look over at Uncle Sam who is standing next to me and take his hand in mine. He squeezes my hand gently because he knows how much this moment means to me. I let go of his hand and kneel to place the bouquet of flowers I have in front of her gravestone.

I rise to get up, but something stops me, and I sit back down in front of her gravestone. I look up at Uncle Sam, and he nods his head as if he can read my thoughts before walking back to the car so I can spend some time alone. I turn back to the gravestone and stare at her name for a few minutes. I feel tears form in my eyes when I trace over her name and dates of birth and death.

"Mom," I start with a trembling voice. "I know you've probably been waiting for me to come for awhile, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long. I just... I needed to get to a good place. Now that I finally have, I've come back to you. I want you to know that I'm free from him. All the years of abuse toward you and me are being paid for. I won't be bothered by him anymore, and Uncle Sam has been such an amazing guardian."

I pause and wipe away the tears. I look up at the sky and let the soft breeze dry my wet face. I take a deep breath and look back down at her. I let a peace settle over me like a cloud before I try to speak again.

I take one more deep breath and continue, "We didn't start off on the right foot, but I've changed, and he's changed. Oh, and Emma has been such an amazing sister and mother figure for me. I think you would have liked her. She's kind and so caring. Uncle Sam and she dated for awhile, but something's gone wrong. I hope they'll forgive each other and move forward together." I smile through the tears to forming again and lower my voice to a whisper. "Mom, I didn't miss you before because I was so stubborn and hard-hearted, but I miss you now. I know you always strived to do what was best, and I know you always cared about me and loved me. I love you so, so much."

I stop and let the tears fall once more. Emotions that have been bottled up for years begin to show in my tears. The pain from my father's abuse is released. The anger is released, and the pain of the loss of my mother is released. All the anger, confusion, and hurt take over and cause me to cry harder than I've ever cried. As I cry, I realize this is the first time I've let myself fully cry ever since that day in the hospital, and it feels so good. It's like a great burden is being lifted from my shoulders.

I feel a hand on my shoulder while I cry, and I look up to see Nick standing over me with his warming and comforting smile that I'm so familiar with. I give him a small smile through my tears and motion for him to sit beside me. He does just that and wraps his arm around my shoulders. He pulls me to him and gives me a warming hug. I feel comforted as I sit in his warm embrace, and my crying begins to slow.

"Meet Nick, Mom. He's one of my best friends. Alli is another one of my best friends. Oh, Mom, I don't know if you now how much pain I've been in the last four years, but I've been released from it. I can move on from it just like you were able to do four years ago. You've left me, but I believe you left a gift for me. Through all of this, I've found myself. I've found who I am, and I discovered how much you've left an impact on me. Thank you for your gift. I won't take it for granted."

~•••••~

A few hours later, I'm back in Clearwater Bay with a joy I've never felt before. I smile as I think about how much good it did for me to visit my mom. I talked to her like she was standing in front of me, and it strengthened my belief that she is with me in my heart and mind. It made me believe that she's always been with me. I just needed to find myself to find her.

"Do you want to head back to the house?" Emma asks as we get inside the car.

Uncle Sam decided to stay behind for another day for business. He had to finish some things in his New York City office, and he also wanted to try to help Nick make up his mind on what's next for his career. Of course, neither of them spoke to me about that, but I'm really good at eavesdropping.

"Maya? Did you hear me?" Emma asks me again as she gently touches my shoulder to get my attention.

I quickly glance over at her and smile. "I want to stop by the festival and then head home."

Emma begins to drive, and I buckle my seatbelt. We're already about twenty minutes into the drive back to Clearwater Bay when Emma slams on the brakes, lurching me forward. Luckily, we're on an empty road so no one runs into her from behind. She puts the car in park and looks over at me with a shocked look on her face that makes me worried that something might be wrong.

"Um, is everything okay? What's wrong?" I question with concern.

She breaks into a smile and tells me with a joyful voice, "I just realized what you said about going back to the house. You called it home. You've never done that before."

When I realize she's right, I smile back. "Yeah, I guess I did. Home. I like the sound of that."

"Me too," Emma replies as she puts the car into drive and begins to drive back down the road.

I smile all the way to the festival as I think about how I really have found my home and how to live a new life. I've learned to let go of my past and not let it hold me back. I've learned to not just survive in life but to thrive. I don't roll out of bed dreading life. Sure, I hate getting up in the morning, but that's simply because I'm not a morning person.

I continue to stare out of the window and become excited when I see the festival in view. There are so many people walking around, and they all look like they're having such a good time. I hear music playing from the stage as Emma parks the car in a parking space by one of the town's stores. We both get out of the car and walk toward the festival grounds. When we reach the area where all the vendors are, Emma says a goodbye to me to go get some ice-cream for herself.

I walk toward the stage area and see one of the acts we approved singing on stage. I sneak around to the backstage area and walk up the steps to the right wing of the stage. I get there and see Alli and Nicole standing next to each other with their backs toward me. I smile and sneak up behind them, slipping into the small gap between them. They both turn their heads to look at me. As soon as they see me, they both wrap their arms around me and give me hugs.

I laugh as quietly as I can while the singer wraps up her song. Nicole gives me another squeeze and walks out on the stage with a mic in her hand. She thanks the singer and turns to face the crowds in front of the stage and all over the festival grounds.

"Thank you all so, so much for coming! I've seen so many great performers these last few days, and I'm sad to think that this was the last day for performances. At least we still have a couple more days here at the Clearwater Bay Festival! Oh, and I would advise you all to come back here tonight at seven-thirty. There's supposed to be a surprise, and I don't want anyone to miss out on it! Spread the news to your friends! See you tonight!"

The crowd politely applauds and then disperses into different parts of the festival. Nicole comes off the stage and hands the mic to Eric, the sound guy, and comes toward me with a big smile on her face. She wraps her arms around me once more and gives me another tight hug.

When she pulls away, she asks, "Why didn't you tell us you were coming back today?"

I smile and look at her and then Alli. "I forgot to tell you. Then, I decided to make it a surprise. Speaking of surprises, did I know there was a surprise tonight?"

Nicole gives Alli an odd look and then looks back at me. "No, but it's not important. Tell us how New York City was."

I look at her with suspicion, but Nicole's steady expression doesn't change, so I tell them, "The city was great. But, I didn't really go to enjoy it. I had do something important."

Alli steps beside Nicole and looks at me with her usual sweet and caring expression. "Yes, Maya, we know why you went."

I give them both a look of confusion. "How?"

Alli smiles. "We read about it. Your uncle is a big deal, and it got printed in a few articles and newspapers. Don't worry, Maya. Nobody who has heard is judging you. In fact, you are seen as a very brave person who had to deal with a lot. After Cassandra published that blogpost and after the news came out about the trial, you should have seen how mad a lot of people were. They didn't like that she blamed you. I think they finally understand that you're not your father."

I tear up as I hear Alli's words. "Really?"

"Yes. Maya, they're all sorry for everything. I've had so many people ask me when you were going to return from New York City so they could talk to you and apologize."

I smile. "I can't believe it. For so long, people have gossiped and disliked me. Now, I don't know what do about them wanting to apologize. I've always had to walk around people who acted like I had the Plague. Now, I don't have to get those kinds of stares and glares."

Nicole and Alli smile, but it's Nicole who suggests, "We should go get some ice-cream to celebrate or something, and then we can all change into fresh clothes for tonight."

Alli and I nod in agreement. I text Emma what I'm doing before going off with Nicole and Alli to get a treat. We end up going to Mrs. Caldwell's coffee shop because we passed by her on our way to find somewhere to go when she saw us and invited us. While there, she treats us to a special chocolate cake she had made for her booth at the festival that hadn't been bought. She warms the cake for us and places some ice-cream scoops on top of it. She then joins us while we all talk and laugh.

A little before seven o'clock, Nicole says that we should go, so we all stand up to leave. We thank Mrs. Caldwell as we leave, and she gives me a small wink when she says goodbye to me. I'm confused by this, but just smile and hurry down the familiar path to my house. I smile as I think of it as 'my house'. I finally have a home.

My thoughts are interrupted as Nicole and Alli rush me into my house and upstairs to my room. I don't even get a chance to say hello to Emma who is in the living room. I'm placed on my bed as they begin to go through my closet. They're whispering the whole time, and I begin to become suspicious.

"Um, guys? What are you doing? I though we all had to get ready? Why are you both whispering to each other and glancing at me every other second?" I question.

Nicole and Alli seem to finally agree on something as they come out of my closet with an outfit in their hands. "No questions. Just put this on and then we can go to Nick's house so I can get ready. And, I'm sure Alli can find something to borrow between the two of us."

Before I can ask anything else, they push me into the bathroom to put on the dress and shoes they picked out for me. I slip off my current shirt and jeans and shoes and put on the red sundress they picked and slip on the black wedges that I didn't even know I owned. I walk out of the bathroom and just see Alli standing in the room. When she hears me come out, she turns around.

"Where's Nicole?" I ask as Alli examines me.

"She went to go put on a dress and grab me one of hers. She thinks she has one that I'll fit in. Maya, do you have a strapless bra? This dress doesn't look good with bra straps," Alli states.

"Um, I might from the last time Emma took me shopping, but I honestly have no idea."

Alli hurries off to the closet. I hear her rummaging through the closet, and she soon comes back with a strapless bra. I go into the bathroom and put it on. I come back out right when Nicole walks in with a really pretty blue dress on. She hands Alli a dress, and Alli goes into the bathroom to change and comes back out in a coral dress. Then, they both rush me downstairs and to the car where Emma is waiting.

We hurry to the festival stage. I'm confused as I'm practically pushed out of the car and to the backstage area. I become even more confused as they force me in one direction and then another. All of a sudden, music begins to play, and Nicole shows me that it's seven-thirty. They place me where I can see the stage, and I almost faint when I see Nick standing on the stage singing in jeans and a light sweater.

He looks over at where I am and smiles when he sees me. I smile back and give him a small wave. He continues to sing and the crowd becomes bigger in front of the stage. He moves into another song when he finishes and then another. It's isn't until after his fourth song that he stops and talks to the crowd.

"Thank you all so much for coming! I hope this week has been fun with all the performances!" he pauses as the crowd cheers. He begins again after the cheering stops, "I'm glad it's been fun. Well, I just want to thank a few people for putting together this part of the festival. Could Nicole, Tanner, Eric, and Maya come out here and join me on stage?"

Suddenly, I think I understand why I'm dressed up. We all walk out on the stage, and he thanks us one by one. We each get a modest cheering from the crowd. When he's done thanking us, he tells the crowd that he's going to take a short break and then come back with a few more songs. He walks off the stage with us and grabs my hand when we're backstage.

I stop and turn to face him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in the city!"

He smiles, and I suddenly get a nervous feeling as his expression deepens. "I wanted to make sure everything was okay between us."

I give him a sly smile. "That all depends on whether or not you'll tell me the truth."

He sighs. "Maya, I think you know why I left in a hurry. After we almost... kissed, I didn't want you to get caught up in all the drama that follows me. People follow me around constantly, and I don't want that life for you. You deserve privacy. I can't give that to you."

As I realize he basically admitted that he likes me, I break into a smile. "Does this mean what I think it does?"

"I like you, Maya Walker. When I first met you, I could tell there was something special about you. Even with all your sarcastic comments and troubles, I think I found who you really were, and I like you," he replies.

I pull him into a hug and then tilt my head up to say, "I thought you left because you didn't like me. All that confusion and hurt I had was for nothing. I've liked you for a long time too. You don't need to protect me from your life. Be proud of your life and let me into both parts-- the private and the famous."

Nick smiles and lets go of me so he can take both of my hands in his. "I'm glad we agree on this. I won't let you go again. That was one of my biggest mistakes."

I smile back, and he leans into me, giving me a sweet kiss. I feel like I'm floating as he kisses me and puts an arm around my waist to pull me a little closer. I soon smile, causing us to have to break the kiss. He places his forehead on mine.

"You know what the best part was about meeting you?" I ask him in a whisper.

"No, what?"  he whispers back with a smile.

"I found myself, and I found the happiness that I always wanted."

He looks me in the eye with his beautiful warm blue eyes and leans down for another kiss. It's then when I know that I have the ending and title to my neglected story.

Finding Me.