Page 128 of If You Stayed

“Always.” I pulled her into a hug. “Kierra has letters that she’s written to Elijah every week since he passed away. I figured you and I could read through them together to help us remember him. I want to know as much about him as I can.”

Her eyes widened with surprise. “She wrote him letters?”

“Yes. Every week. She loved him.”

Her eyes grew teary and she nodded. “She did.” She fiddled with her hands before saying, “I should probably take you to the storage unit, too.”

“The storage unit?”

“It’s where I had all his things stored over the years. I have to advise you, though, whenever I go there, I end up crying.”

“That’s okay, Mom. This time will be better.”

“I don’t know. I’ll probably still cry.”

“Yes,” I agreed, “but this time when you cry, you won’t have to cry alone.”

36

Kierra

One Saturday afternoon, Claire walked into Florence Bakery,pulling at the sleeves of her dress. She glanced around in search of me, and I waved her over. When she saw me, her eyes were gentle and she looked relieved.

She slid into the chair across from me and gave me a small smile. “Hi, Kierra.”

“Hey, Claire. Thanks for coming.”

“Thanks for meeting with me. I didn’t expect it, but I was happy when your email showed up. I just…” She shook her head in disbelief. “I never expected to unleash everything the way I did. I’ve been beating myself up about it for months, Kierra. I’m sure you think I’m some psycho who spiraled badly but—”

“You’re a mother,” I cut in. “You’re a mother who was cut off from your daughter all those years ago.”

Her eyes flooded with tears. “Yes.”

“And he was a monster who cut you off.”

“Yes.”

I sat back in my chair and studied Claire. I knew her well enough to know she wasn’t a danger. She’d sat across from me for over two years, telling me her story. I knew her triggers and I knew her joy. I knew her ups and I knew her downs. Yet, at the end of the day, my sole responsibility was to make sure Ava was safe and cared for.

“She wants to meet you,” I said, speaking of Ava.

Claire’s eyes released the tears as she shook her head back and forth. “Oh, gosh, no. No, Kierra. I can’t do that. I didn’t expect that, either. I just…” She sighed. “I only checked in to make sure he wasn’t doing to her what he did to me. I only wanted to make sure she was okay. I know it’s not my place to be in her life. I wouldn’t expect that to be a thing. And now knowing that Henry is gone, I don’t have to worry anymore. I know she’s safe with you.”

I smiled and nodded. “Yes, she is. But…I know she’d be safe with you, too, Claire.”

She let out a nervous laugh as she wiped the tears from her face. “But you’re her mother. I’m just a stranger.”

“A stranger who gave me the greatest gift. Now, there’s no pressure. If you don’t want to meet her—”

She hesitated for a moment’s time. “I mean…if it’s okay. It can only be once. I just…” Her hands flew to her chest and she shook her head. “I just want to hug her one more time.”

I understood completely.

When I thought Henry was going to kill me, when I thought my life was over, all I could think of was how I wanted to hug Ava one more time. How I wanted to wrap my armsaround her and make sure she felt my love in my embrace.

“We’ll come up with a game plan. We’ll figure out how to make this the most comfortable situation for everyone involved.”

“I’ll do anything,” she said. “I’ll do anything to make this work.”

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