Chapter 32

For a moment, we stood in silence, the

of distance between us heavy in the air. Then Vesta's face brightened as she remembered something. "How's your son?" she asked, her voice full of warmth. "The last time I saw him, he was just a baby. He must be, what, a teenager by Her question hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt the air leave my lungs as the ache I had buried deep inside rose to the surface. "He... he's gone, Vesta," I

yea

whispered, my throat tightening. "He died."

Vesta's face fell, and her hand flew to her

mouth. "Oh my God, Doris... I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

I forced a smile, though my heart felt

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His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace,

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32

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heavy. "How could you have known? We

lost touch."

Tears welled up in Vesta's eyes as she reached out to hug me again, this time softer; more carefully. "I'm so, so sorry," she whispered. "I can't even imagine what you've been through." 'I didn't cry. I had cried so many tears over

the years that there were none left.

Instead,

I stood there, letting her hold me, feeling the weight of everything I had carried alone for so long. When she finally let go, Vesta wiped her eyes and looked at

me with renewed determination.

softly. "But you're here now, and I'm here too. We can figure this out

flicker of hope stirring inside me. Maybe I

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But Our Son's in

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32

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checkup, why

suggested, her

"There's so much I want to catch

7

of me wanting

safety of my isolation. But another part, the part that remembered what it was like to have someone to lean on, wanted to let her

I said finally. "I'd like

more before stepping back. "Great! I'll meet you

walked away, I sat back down, feeling a strange mixture of emotions swirling inside me-sadness, relief, maybe even a bit of hope. It wasn't much, but it

His Knees His Pless

of the medical wing and into a long, bright corridor, memories

was strange how

out to gently touch my arm. "I've missed

in a long while, I felt the stirrings of something like

chances. As

the hallway, I reali

that this

something

had

carried. With Vesta by my side again, maybe I

face whatever came next.

could say anything more,

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His Pleas, But Our

37

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