He'd walked right up to Jessica—a woman he'd never even met before—and

proposed to her on the spot.

Even now, he couldn't forget the way she looked at him in stunned silence, her

eyes wide and searching.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment.

Waiting for her answer, he'd felt a strange mix of emotions—an unfamiliar struggle

twisting inside him. Would she say yes? Would she turn him down?

After what felt like forever, she finally smiled and nodded.

The tension in his chest unraveled in an instant, his heart swelling so wide it felt

as if it could contain mountains and rivers.

It wasn't that he didn't have feelings; he was just always so reserved, so careful

with himself.

That impulsive rush carried him all the way to the courthouse.

It was only when he stood there, marriage certificate in hand, the seal still fresh,

that it hit him—how reckless he'd been.

He told himself to calm down, to think.

That was when she brought up taking wedding photos.

He refused.

Now Timothy wondered if maybe, from that very moment, he'd already started to

hurt her.

"Timothy?"

Her voice pulled him back to the present. "You should go home," he said quietly.

"I'm fine."

He couldn't let Sheila get any closer to him. If things kept going this way, the

distance between him and Jessica would only grow.

Sheila was stunned. Of all the things Timothy could have said to her, "go home"

was the last she'd expected.

Trying to hold herself together, she protested, "You're hurt so badly—how can I

just leave you here?"

"She's hurting more than I

Jessica?" Sheila faltered, caught off guard.

hurt at

Jessica

Her wounds were deeper.

understand. His own injuries could

inside Jessica—there was

grab the steering wheel today, knowing

a

She really wanted out.

her go. Maybe it was time

certificate like a shackle.

he imagined letting go—releasing the kite

heart felt

mad. They were in

somewhere else—somewhere

was becoming heavier and

now that

if an invisible fist was tightening around

hard, for so many years, but the man

and further away.

returned to Sheila. "Go home. Don't make me say

again."

words were calm, but they crashed through Sheila's heart like

one tearing at

back straight and proud, but so

His face was

Herbert had left half an hour

Vince

simple cottage, his heart aching for

quite name.

the place was cozy

living room. As she prepared

space, then finally asked in a trembling, hoarse voice, "Jess, did

grow up here?"

raw in his voice, and the way he looked

with an emotion Herbert couldn't quite

unsettled.

to hide

mom in the city.

is

it's warm. Your grandmother must have loved you very

smiled softly. Yes, her grandmother had loved her

treat Jessica's

worked

bone. She'd been

of, and

able to cure

had weighed

end, the double

passed

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