Girl Get Rid Of That Jerk by Melissa Johns

As Linda walked in with a thermos, her eyes landed on the small charm Watson was holding, and she stopped in her tracks. She knew that charm well. It was something you'd only get after a long, devoted journey to the church. Years back, when Allison's mom, Savannah, was really sick, Javier had made that same journey to get one for her. Sadly, it hadn't been enough to save her life, and thinking about it now made Linda's heart ache a bit.

"Watson," Linda said softly, a bit surprised, "Did you get this charm yourself?" She gazed at the charm, her eyes distant, as if she were staring right through it into

the past.

Watson, still deeply focused on Allison, just nodded.

was momentarily taken aback. Once she gathered her thoughts, she

a new understanding. She knew him

the Owens family with Julia and had always suspected there was something special in the way he looked at Allison. But since Allison insisted they were just friends, Linda hadn't dug any deeper. Now, seeing this charm, everything clicked into place. Watson's feelings for her daughter Allie were way

the charm, carefully avoiding Watson's eyes, and murmured

had just narrowly escaped a brush with death. Any chance between Joshua and Allie seemed to be truly over. As Allie's long-time best friend, Sabrina could tell Allie hadn't fully moved on from Joshua. Seeing everything unfold like this, Allie must be feeling a deep

almost all his hair gone, reduced to skin and bones. Grandma Emily, already elderly, was weighed down by the situation. Her days were filled with a heavy sadness, which worsened her heart condition, making her appear to age years in just a few weeks. She was

heading back to the capital. The day after he returned, he left the