A Reborn Bride Pearl Emerging from Dust by Sally Garcia

Calliope and Silas arrived at the old house in no time. It wasn't a mansion, but it was big-sprawling, really-with a huge yard out front. Just looking at it, you could tell the family had done well for themselves.

Calliope hadn't been back in years. Ever since Grandpa Kermit passed away, she and her foster brothers barely visited anymore.

But the folks in the town had always been kind. Even when no one from the family was around, they'd take turns coming over, sweeping the porch, and keeping the

place up.

It was obvious, too. Even though no one had lived here in so long, the yard was spotless-not a single weed in sight. The young saplings she remembered had grown tall, and the garden was bursting with life, as if someone still lived here year-round.

Silas trailed behind Calliope, taking it all in.

"So this is where you grew up?" he asked, glancing around like he was picturing little Calliope darting around the yard. She definitely didn't strike him as the quiet, well-behaved type-no, she had "wild child" written all over her.

"Yeah." Calliope smiled. "Pretty nice, isn't it?"

As she spoke, her eyes landed on the big old oak tree by the porch. Hanging from a sturdy branch was a wooden swing, swaying slightly in the breeze. Just seeing

made her eyes sting

that swing just for her. He'd doted on her endlessly. Even though her parents had abandoned her, she

swing my grandpa made for me. With

and sat on the

little small under her now, but as a child, this had been her throne. She'd spend hours here, and her foster brothers would come out

she'd stand on the swing, and they'd push her so high

course every

a heart attack-he'd grab a switch and chase the boys around, convinced they were

ran to

this place meant to Calliope. She loved it here. What she missed most,

gone. She'd tried everything to save him, but no one could have helped, not really. That sense of helplessness had haunted her for

come to terms with it. She'd made

exploring the yard, they headed

exactly the way Calliope remembered,

was spotless-no dust anyone