She knocked on the door to her house, hoping with all her heart that one of her parents would answer. Her mother opened the door, she looked great! Relief flooded over Marie who broke into a smile until her mother said what she did,

"Who are you?" asked Julie

Taken aback by her mother's reaction, Marie found herself at a loss of words.

"Um...I...Hello mum...It's me, Marie"

For about one minute, Marie's mum just stood in the doorway still as a statue.

"Mother? Are you okay?" asked Marie, getting worried

Her mum blinked a few times before stuttering "Oh...Oh my! STEVE! STEVE COME HERE! SHE'S BACK!" She looked at her daughter again and asked, her voice thick "But how? How are you here?"

"It's a long long story mum, and one you might find hard to believe." Answered Marie, "Dad!" She shouted as she saw the familiar figure of her father walking towards the door.

Her father fell to his knees as he saw his daughter, the one he thought was dead. He was crying and laughing and he didn't know what to do so she simply walked up to him and gave him the biggest hug she could give. Marie's mother joined them in the hug and the three of them stayed like that for a long time which, of course, didn't feel so long to Marie. She had, after all waited a whole year for this moment.

"Happy birthday Marie"