Page 115 of Angels and Skulls
Lily wipes her eyes. “We were going to tell everyone …”
Jesse holds up her hand. “It’s okay. I’m happy for you.” She looks at me and touches my arm. “You made it.”
I nod, holding back tears. I’m so tired of crying. It’s all I’ve done for the past few weeks. “I made it.”
I give her a smile, and she visibly relaxes. She was worried I would be angry at her for what she did, but this woman did what she thought best, and it worked. Here I am. I’m going to keep my promise to her. I’m going to love Raffe and Jackson with my entire heart.
When Lily opens the door to my room, I hover in the doorway.
“Jackson and I work along with my friend JD at Junkyard Creations. I’ve been holding onto this piece for a long time. I think it was meant for you.” She runs her hand along a dresser and then a matching end stand.
Raffe pushes me gently, urging me forward.
“It’s beautiful,” I say hesitantly.
Lily walks over to the closet. “My daughter and Lexie went shopping for some clothes for you. At least enough to get you started.”
I let out a little sob at all the beautiful skirts hanging in the closet.
“Hopefully everything fits with your style.”
Jesse pulls the curtains wide open. “This room has the best view of the lake,” she adds, a look of melancholy glazing her eyes.
I step beside her, suddenly realizing I’m not the only one stepping out of an old world and into a new one. This is where she and Dirk lived for many years. Almost as many as I lived at my home.
Lily wraps her arm around each of our waists. “Isn’t this exciting? We’re all on the verge of something new.”
The three of us exchange a glance before looking out across the lake. My gaze catches on the trinkets lining the window, and I lower myself to the seat. “Are these …?” I pick up an amethyst.
These are my things!
“We’ll let you get settled in,” Lily says, patting me on the back.
Before I know it, Raffe and I are the only two in the room. He sits down across from me on the bench as I continue to caress each item in the windowsill.
“I can’t believe my mom kept these,” I whisper. My gaze searches the room, looking for more. “Oh my god!” I jump from the seat, snatching the Polaroid of Raffe and me from the mirror.
I go back to Raffe and drop beside him.
“We look so young.” Just babies. I’ve been blaming myself for years for leading us away from home, but now that I see this photo, I remember just how young we were … and so very naïve.
Back then I thought my daddy was too strict. Too boring. I thought Raffe and I could go off on our own. I selfishly wanted to spend every minute of the day with him, and I was going to make that happen.
Raffe takes the picture from my hand and cups the side of my face. Our eyes lock before he leans in and kisses me. It’s soft, and most importantly, it’s safe.
“Don’t overthink this,” he says after pulling away.
“I can’t believe everyone did this for me.” My gaze sweeps the room, finding more and more intimate details that make my soul sigh happily. “Jesse remembered.” I jump from my seat again, finding the picture of Raffe, Rachel, and Jackson on my bedside table.
I hug it to my chest.
He climbs onto the bed behind me and lies down. “Come here,” he says quietly.
Part of me wants to argue, but I don’t have it in me. I fall back and roll toward him, keeping the frame carefully tucked against me.
“You’re doing good, Jenny. I know how hard this must all be.”
I chuckle sadly. “You’ve all done everything to make it as easy on me as possible. I … I don’t know if I deserve it.”
