Page 53 of Jagged Line Paradise

“You promise?”

“Yes. And I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

I rise slowly and blow out a long breath. I give him a sharp, brief nod and start walking with him toward the house. Two steps forward and he snatches my hand in his, clutching firmly, and it sends a pulse of heat through his palm to mine that radiates through my entire body. The warmth brings me some comfort, though it also brings a chaotic storm of emotion that swirls within me.

He pulls open the front door and we enter the foyer of the Millers’ two-story, cookie-cutter home. It’s a nice house in a good neighborhood—a basic middle-class family home. It’s the kind of home I’d once dreamed of having, though I’ve let go of that dream along with so many others.

There’s a staircase directly in front of us and a short hallway just beside it that leads back to a large, open space with a sliding glass door at the back. To our right is a small dining room, set with an oval-shaped, dark brown wooden table and matching chairs around it. There’s a wooden armoire in the corner near the window, which looks out to the front yard from where we came in. It has glass doors at the top, displaying a set of china with a pink and green floral pattern. It’s pretty—an outdated style perhaps, but if I had dishes like that, I’d probably put them on display and never use them, too. I wouldn’t know what else to do with such nice things.

I see the cameraman has the camera setup on a tripod in the opposite corner. And sitting across the table are a middle-aged man and woman. I freeze when my eyes fall upon them.

The Millers.

They look up at me and the woman stands.

She and I stare at each other for a quiet moment. There’s no contempt or glaring hatred in her eyes, and I’m stunned into silence by that. I take a step back when she moves, circling around the table toward me. Andrés places his palm on the small of my back, urging me forward. The woman is short in stature and a little round in the middle. She wears glasses over her stormy gray eyes and her dirty blond hair is starting to go gray at the roots. Her wardrobe is plain, unassuming. She presents an aura that’s friendly, though she looks troubled at the moment.

I wonder what she’s thinking as she looks at me.

She must hate me for surviving when her daughter didn’t, she must hate me for being here, for simply existing.

Without warning, she draws me into a hug and I stiffen. She squeezes me tight and all I can feel is...

Welcome?

Gratitude?

Love?

Is this whata mother’s hug is supposed to feel like?

It feels nice. Surprisingly nice.

Eventually, I hug her back, and I’m surprised at myself for it. The acceptance of her warmth, her kindness, floods me with feelings that threaten to overwhelm me. I pull away gently so as not to be rude, and she grips my shoulders as she studies my face.

“Avalon. You beautiful girl. I’ve wanted to meet you for so long,” she tells me.

“You have?”

“I’m so happy you’re here. So happy to have you in our home.”

I glance at Andrés beside me, who only gives me a shrug and a half smile.

“You don’t...I thought you might be upset to see me.”

She shakes her head. “No. No, sweet girl.” She releases me and steps back to a comfortable distance, reaching beneath her glasses with her knuckle to remove a tear as Mr. Miller joins her, giving me a small smile. “It brings a lot of emotions to the surface, but I’m so happy to see you...alive and well.” She puts a hand over her heart as she studies me, scanning me from head to toe. Then, she sighs. “Joanna would’ve been about your age now.”

The reminder punches me in the gut. “I’m so, so sorry.”

She holds up a hand to silence me. “It’s not your fault, honey. Don’t apologize for that monster.”

“It’s hard for me.”

She smiles, though her eyes tear up. “I know. Andrés was telling me a little about you. How hard it was for you to come here today. But, honey, I’m so glad that you did. I don’t think you know how important you are.”

“Me? No, I’m not important.” I shake my head. “I’m not special. I just…I got lucky.”

“You’re special to us. You’re the reason he was caught. Because you got away, our Joanna’s killer was brought to justice.”

---