Page 136 of Red River

"Well… right. Kinda." My voice was barely more than a whisper—a weak squeak.

"River, it’s gonna be okay. I’ve got you," Archer said, his hand on my arm again, grounding me, calming me enough to think straight.

He turned to the kids, who had been waiting patiently. "Follow us, stay quiet, and wait to see how things go. River will introduce you to the family afterward."

I looked back at Snow—he was gone! As if he had vanished into thin air.

Had he really been there? Or had I imagined him?

So we started moving.

My knees felt like they were going to give out. I clung to Archer’s sleeve like my life depended on it, my eyes locked on my dad’s fair face.

A memory flickered in my mind—back then, the day before I ran away.

My dad had come to my room and pleaded with me, his eyes full of tears, asking me to reconsider my decision to marry Thomas. At one point, he had even dropped to his knees and begged me, but I sat there with a stubborn grimace, avoiding his gaze.

After he left, I packed my things. That night, I ran away. Thomas had been waiting for me in his car.

Now, here I was, finally dealing with the consequences of that decision—not just in my own life, but within my family.

Maybe… it was time for me to grow up?

That thought strangely resonated within me.

And then—

Then, all at once, I was ready. I wanted to do this.

When we were about fifteen yards away, I squeezed Archer’s arm.

"Stop here. This part… this part is mine," I said, my voice still quiet but unexpectedly firm. It wasn’t a squeak anymore, even though my heart was pounding like crazy.

Archer nodded. "You got it. Good luck, River."

So I walked those last few yards alone, trembling like an aspen leaf—and yet, like an aspen leaf carried by a strong wind, I was moving straight toward my dad.

When I was a few steps away, he turned his face toward me, probably thinking I was just another guest, never expecting to see his prodigal son here.

And then… our eyes met.

Mine were a much darker shade of his—turquoise, like the southern seas.

For a fraction of a second, we just stared at each other, my steps stopping.

And then, I saw it on his face—everything.

All those years without me. The abyss that had separated us. The pain, the shock—flashing through his expression in that single, fleeting moment when he understood.

I had come back.

After twenty-one years, I was home.

He trembled, then dropped to his knees, a sob tearing from his chest—

And at the exact same moment, a twin sob ripped from mine.

I ran.

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