Chapter Seventeen - The Life Changing Decision

As soon as I'd kissed Angelina good-bye, wished both her and Alexander well, and waved a cold farewell to Mrs. Rathins (who ignored me), I ran upstairs to Tom's room and pounded on the door. When he opened it, I jumped into his arms and told him I would marry him, with great joy.

It was one week later, in a little white church on 8th Avenue, that Tom and I married. I had on a simple white dress, light and frilly, and the only people at our wedding were a few of Tom's family who lived nearby (they had tried and tried to persuade us to wait and gave a large estate wedding, but we had refused), Angelina, Alexander, and Mr. Mr. Totallio (the hotel cook). It was incredibly simplistic, but immensely beautiful.
For our honeymoon, Tom took me to New York City, where we stayed for a week on the top floor (the 41st) floor of the Anador Hotel. It was no Hoffstile Hotel, but still equally nice, though it lacked colorful characters. He took me to see Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and some of the nicest stores and shops I'd ever been into.
When we returned back to Maryland, we settled in a nice little house on Richard's Street, where Tom wrote and I spent my days reading and keeping house. After working at the hotel, cleaning up our small house seemed like nothing, and amazingly, I enjoyed the work. Tom offered several times to help, but I refused.
A month after we'd been married, Tom and I decided that it was finally time to visit the Hastings'. So I dressed in my finest blue wool coat, which I'd bought in New York, and wore my matching hat, and we drove to the Hastings house, the place where I had grown up.
Tom took my arm protectively and we both boldly approached the steps. He knocked firmly on the door, never letting go of my arm.
Mrs. Hastings answered, looking older than I remembered her. A few stray gray hairs were visible.
"Katie!" She exclaimed happily, and rushed to take me in her arms, pulling me away from Tom. "Oh, my little girl! I knew you'd come back to us!"
I pulled away from her, shaking angrily.
"I'm not your little girl, Mrs. Hastings," I said. "I am Mrs. Thomas Anderson now." I held out my hand, on which I wore my thin gold wedding band.
"Oh!" She exclaimed. "Married! Why, Katie! So young! How could you? And after running away!"
"Mrs. Hastings," I said through my teeth. "You kidnapped me, and I was gracious enough to not call the police. And I am not coming home, but merely coming to say that I am married and doing well. That is all."
"Good day," Tom said, and we both headed back to the car.

That night, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about my encounter with the woman who raised me and somehow feeling guilty. But why should I? She was a kidnapper! An unworthy criminal!
Still the sadness I saw in her eyes haunted me. Memories flooded back to me. Memories of her hugging me as a child, saying she loved me and telling me how proud she was of me as I grew older. And Mr. Hastings. He'd been the kindest father I could have asked for. He taught me to ride a bike, to sail, and to fish. He had carried me on his shoulders as a toddler and held my hand on vacations to the lake as we walked along the shore. I kissed his cheek good-night, every night up until the night before I left.
And suddenly it came upon me, though I had tried with all my might to push it away. Forgiveness. I felt forgiveness for them, despite all their vast wrongs in keeping me. Yes, I may never recover from the anger and bitterness I feel about the kidnapping, but I could at least be civil towards them.
I sighed and rolled over, stroked Tom on the cheek as he slept beside me, and closed my eyes.
The next morning when I awoke, I hurriedly got dressed and rushed to the car before Tom had even gotten up. I drove slightly over the speed limit and finally reached the house.
Once there, I parked and ran up to the door, pounding on it. Mrs. Hastings... mother... answered.
"Katie!" She cried with joy, and took me into her arms.
"Oh, mother," I wept. "I forgive you."