Taken by my evil aunt - Part 3 (Patreon)

Cynthia sat at the elegantly set dinner table, glancing nervously at the clock. Her daughter Marie was due to arrive any minute now, and Cynthia's heart pounded with anticipation and anxiety. It had been far too long since they'd shared a meal together, just the two of them. Ever since Marie started college, Cynthia had felt an increasing distance between them. The lively conversations and shared secrets of Marie's childhood had given way to curt text messages and rare phone calls. Their relationship had become strained in Marie's high school years after she divorced her father, and now, with her daughter an adult, they seemed like strangers.

But recently, Marie had changed, matured in ways that both surprised and delighted her mother. She'd dropped out of her general studies program and begun studying biology, following in the footsteps of a family full of biologists. And her tastes had changed, too. While she always preferred gorgeous dresses and elegant shoes, her tastes in different clothing brands had improved. Her old dresses were from cheaper retailers, but now Marie was picking higher quality brands. She clearly took better care of herself too, and after she began exercising, Marie had lost weight in all the right places, and she wasn’t afraid to gush about it to her mother.

As Cynthia adjusted a silverware setting, a pang of sadness hit her. After talking to her daughter over the phone over the past few weeks, Marie reminded her of her dead aunt, Allison. Cynthia’s older sister always had a likable aura to her, and she could sense it in the way Marie spoke. The way she carried herself, her passions, her smile over social media all echoed Allison's spirit. 

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, snapping Cynthia out of her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat as she hurried to the door, smoothing her dress and taking a deep breath. Marie stood on the porch, a radiant smile on her face, dressed casually but looking more beautiful than ever. They embraced warmly, and Cynthia felt a surge of emotion as she held her daughter close. “How was your drive?”

“Great!” Marie said happily upon closing the door. “I really missed this town. I stopped by a few places that Auntie Allison talked about. I checked out the park she used to take me to – the one where I broke my leg.”

Cynthia felt teary eyed as the evening unfolded. The strained relationship of the past seemed to melt away as they connected on a deeper level. Over dinner, they talked about Marie's studies, her new boyfriend, and her newfound love for biology. It was almost eerie for Cynthia - it was as if a piece of her sister lived on in Marie somehow. The way she spoke and the passion she had for her new program were a direct reflection of when Cynthia and Allison had gone to college together.

Cynthia's eyes welled with tears as she shared stories of her sister, her voice catching with emotion. Marie reached across the table, squeezing her mother's hand, a gesture of understanding and support.

Marie's aunt may have been gone, but in that beautiful moment, Cynthia realized that Allison's spirit lived on in her daughter. After all, she did help raise her during her earlier years. Cynthia didn’t think any mannerisms stuck, but after moving out for so long, it was clear that they were just hiding beneath the surface.  Her daughter was following her path, embracing her passions, and growing into a remarkable young woman. Marie had been a wandering girl who didn’t know what to do with her life, but now, she finally had some sense of direction. In reality, friends and family were deceived by Allison’s façade, never suspecting that the soul behind Marie's eyes had changed.