Page 89 of Snowman

Julia nodded. "Erik called her. Thought you might need someone here for... when you decide..."

My chest tightened. "How did you even know?" My voice cracked. "I don't even know what I want!"

"Bree, come on." Julia gave me a smile. "It's obvious. We just didn't know how Thor would take it." Her expression turned serious. "Talk to her. Then I'll take you to him."

"I don't know if I can." My eyes stayed fixed on the woman, the distance between us suddenly too much and too close all at once.

"You can. You've got this."

I opened the car door, and stepped closer to the house, the woman's arms opened slightly. I wasn't ready for this. My feet felt like lead, and I stopped a few steps away, frozen.

Julia brushed past me, her hand grazing mine, she turned as she walked, giving me a quick wink as if to say,You'll be fine.

"Hi," the woman said.

"Hi," I murmured.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay," I said, my words felt empty. "You?"

"Okay," she said, though her tears betrayed her. "Erik told me you go by Bree now. But your real name is Zara."

"My name is Bree," I said, cutting her off. I couldn't explain why, but hearing her say my real name felt like a slap.

"Okay," she said. "Bree. It's nice to meet you."

She was trying so hard, but I couldn't meet her halfway. Not yet.

"Listen," I said, forcing the words out before I could lose my nerve. "I'm not going to pretend you don't know my story. And I'm not going to act like everything's fine. It's not." I looked her in the eye. "All I can give you right now is this... I'm going to be okay, but I need time."

She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. "That's okay," she said softly. "Take all the time you need."

"It is," I said, my own tears threatened again. "It is."

Her hand came up to wipe a stray tear from my face. "You have your father's eyes," she said, "He was a good man."

"Was?" I asked, my heart tightening.

She looked down. "He died a few years ago. It's just me now."

Another tear slid down my cheek. The truth hit me hard. I would never have a real father. Joe took that from me. Angersimmered inside, but instead of letting it take over, I just folded into her arms. My walls broke, and I let the sobs spill out.

"To be honest," I mumbled through the tears, "my life is really shitty right now, and I just… I need someone to hug."

Her arms wrapped around me tighter, warming me. "I'll always be here to hug you," she said softly. "I've waited fifteen years for this." She was crying now, her tears soaking into my shoulder. "My baby girl," she whispered, her voice breaking, "you're here."

"I am," I said, then, with a shaky breath, I added, "And… you're going to be a grandma."

She pulled back just enough to look at me, her eyes red from tears. "I know," she said, her lips trembling into a smile. She wiped at her face and then mine, brushing away the tears. "And you're going to be amazing."

"Am I?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"Yes." She nodded, smiling like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You will."

Before I could say anything else, she pulled me back into another hug. I let myself sink into it, and over her shoulder, my eyes drifted to the house. Julia and Erik were on the balcony, watching us. Their faces were framed by the warm light spilling out from inside, they looked perfect, but I knew it was a lie.

I didn't know their whole story, and no one ever told the full truth about love or life. Not really. I could guess that what they had wasn't the picture they showed us, and I had seen it all before.

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