Lyric couldn’t say she was surprised when the other couple, her biological parents, wanted to meet the Riverses.

So, on a lazy Sunday morning, Lyric got in the car with her parents and drove to the address provided by Dr. Hanson. It was on the other side of the city from where they lived, in a much more middle class neighbourhood. Lyric stared out the window as they drove through. This was where she had been meant to grow up.

They stopped in front of a house that was only differentiated from those on either side of it by a music note shaped plaque on the door. It read Wolfe.

When her dad rang the doorbell, it was answered by a woman in a dark sweater and jeans. Her hair was also dark, but she had the blue-green eyes that so many people admired Lyric for.

The woman greeted them with a smile. When she looked at Lyric, she gasped and put a hand over her heart. She looked like she was going to cry. “Allen!” She called over her shoulder.

A man appeared behind her. He shared Lyric’s dark blonde hair.

“Good to meet you.” Lyric’s dad shook the man’s hand. “Johnathan Rivers.” He put a hand on Lyric’s back and nudged her forward. “This is Lyric.”

“Such a musical name.” The woman breathed.

The man chuckled a little as he led them inside and shut the door. “Marina and I are musicians.” He explained as they made their way into a living room. “Music is our whole life.”

Lyric nodded. Looking around the room, she saw a few awards shaped like harps and violins. She guessed they were classical musicians by the names of the awards. She liked music too, and she tried to think that she might have gotten that love from them, even if she wasn’t a huge fan of classical.

As she walked past a mantle, a photograph caught her attention. It was a candid shot of a girl with long orange hair. The girl had been caught in the motion of removing headphones and twisting to look over her shoulder. On the frame was written Melody.

Lyric stared at the photo. The girl looked so familiar, but she was sure she had never seen her before. Her stomach twisted when she realized that she was probably recognizing features from old photographs of her mom.

“That’s Melody.” Marina picked up the photo and angled it so that Lyric’s mom and dad could see it.

When Lyric turned to them, she saw the same expression that Marina had worn when she saw Lyric for the first time. It hurt, seeing the instant love for a person they had never met. If that was how they were with just a photo, what would happen when they met Melody?

As if reading Lyric’s mind, her mom looked up from the photo. “Is she here?” Her voice was full of hope.

Lyric was watching her parents. As silence stretched from the Wolfes, she saw her parents’ faces grow worried, and then scared. She spun around. The Wolfes were grief stricken.

“Melody--” Marina chocked out. She turned away, covering her mouth.

Allen rubbed her back, making soothing sounds and telling her it was okay. Then he looked up at Lyric’s parents.

“Melody took her own life about four months ago.”