Was there also an element of inability to commit to anyone or anything, as her father said? She shivered and, instead of dealing with the present, she focused on the wall that showed off her past.
The most recent photo added to the collection caught her eye. The picture showed Sam, Spank the monkey, Ari and Zoe together at Zoe's welcome-home party after she'd returned from her enforced confinement last year. The three of them looked like real sisters. And her parents truly did treat Sam like one of their own children. They'd even become more structured since Sam had come into their lives. Dinner was served at six and they all ate seated as a family. Sam's homework had to be completed before television was allowed, and she had a strict curfew.
Though Zoe wouldn't call her mother June Cleaver, Elena had become more regimented with Sam around because she understood what the child needed. Despite the fact that Elena had become a certified masseuse, she never scheduled a spa appointment after three and she was home every afternoon when Sam returned from school. All these changes had been made because the entire Costas family loved Sam and wanted her to have as close to a perfect childhood as possible.
"Looking at the wall of shame?" Ari asked.
Zoe felt her twin's hand on her shoulder and covered it with her own. "That always was your description." But Zoe knew that Ari had come to terms with her difficulties within their family. "I was just thinking what a great childhood we had."
"We did. Even I can see that now, especially compared to Sam's journey through the foster-care system," Ari said.
"I wanted the same thing for Sam," Zoe said.
"Maybe Ryan Baldwin can provide it for her. You like him and that's no small feat."
Zoe turned toward her twin. "He's a good man, but do you know what his family's kind of life would do to Sam? The rules, the regulations, the criticism that drove her mother to run away." Zoe shivered, mentally placing herself in that same position of being judged.
Thinking along those lines always sent her into an emotional freeze. Her relationship with Ryan worked only because she knew he would return to Boston and there was no chance of a long-term relationship between them. If not for that assurance, she'd run far and fast to escape, just as his sister had.
"You ready to talk to Mom and Dad?" Ari asked. "Quinn's waiting with them in the family room."
Zoe inclined her head. "Let's do it."
Less than ten minutes later, the truth had been revealed. Elena sat on the couch, her head bent, and Zoe knelt down beside her mother, holding her hand. Zoe's stomach was twisted in knots and she hated herself for putting her parents through so much pain.
"So to be clear, this Ryan Baldwin isn't a social worker?" her father asked.
Ari shook her head.
"He's Sam's mother's brother," Quinn explained again.
"Which makes him a liar," Nicholas snapped.
Zoe cringed. "Papa," she said, using the nickname she'd called him as a child. "The lie was my fault. Mom mistook Ryan for a social worker the day of Sam's party and yes, he went along with it in the beginning, but I found out that day…and I convinced him to stay quiet."
While her mother remained uncharacteristically silent, Nicholas let out a litany of Greek profanity that singed her ears. "Why?" he asked. "Why would you do this to your own family?"
Her throat tightened. She rose to face her father in order to explain. "At first I needed to check out if he was who he claimed to be. And then I wanted to make sure he was a decent guy before I revealed anything."
"And then you fell for the man." Elena lifted her head from her kimono sleeve for the first time since hearing the news.
Her mother's words slammed into Zoe with the force of a Mack truck. "Untrue," Zoe protested too quickly. "I just didn't want to cause complete panic until I had more facts. You know how much I love you all. You know I adore Sam. I had everyone's best interests at heart."
Her father strode forward and claimed her in a reassuring bear hug. "You, I have faith in. That man, him I don't trust."
Despite understanding her father's side, Zoe wanted to defend Ryan. She told herself it was for Sam's sake that she needed to redeem him in her parents' eyes, but her rapidly beating heart and the wave of emotions sweeping through her told her that her motives were more self-serving.
"Ryan's a decent man, Papa."
"Bah." Nicholas folded his arms across his chest.
"Ari? Quinn? What do you think of Ryan?" her mother asked.
"You don't need to ask them." Zoe's voice rose, this time in her own defense. "I'm the one who's spent time with him and can judge his character. And I can tell you that he's as much a victim of circumstance as we are. Ryan loved Sam before he ever met her. He came here with the best intentions, to find his niece and give her a good life."
"She already has a good life," her father said, gesturing with his hands to the four walls of the home he'd provided for his family.
"But he didn't know that!" Zoe clenched her fists in frustration.
"Everyone needs to calm down," Quinn said, stepping between them. "This is a shock, so let's take some time to let it sink in before we tell Sam."
"Sam already knows." The object of their discussion walked in from the kitchen, pig in her arms, eyes wide with shock. "That stuffed shirt is my uncle?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Zoe had no words to reassure her. Sam was a smart kid and she'd probably already assessed the situation and realized the possibility of yet another upheaval in her life.
"What are you doing back from Michelle's?" Elena strode forward, taking control while everyone else stared in mute shock.
"She got sick and her mom dropped me off on the way to the pharmacy."
Elena wrapped an arm around Sam's stiff shoulders, but the young girl remained remote and withdrawn.
Watching them, Zoe's heart was close to breaking.
"Don't jump to any conclusions or panic, squirt. We'll get this figured out, okay?" As always, Quinn attempted to be the voice of reason.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Obviously not even Quinn's strong presence seemed to reassure Sam. She snuggled the pig tighter against her chest, ignoring Ima's squeals of protest.
Then, without meeting anyone's gaze, Sam stormed out of the room. Nobody dared call Sam on breaking the rules of bringing the pig upstairs. The teen deserved some form of comfort, something nobody else seemed able to give.
Stomp, stomp, slam, Zoe thought, echoing Sam's actions in her mind. The walls shook when she slammed the door, leaving the adults to stare helplessly at one another.