Page 126 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

I’ve left my locket with you in the hope that one day, it’ll be the key to us finding each other. Hold it close, and only share it with people you trust.

If I could offer any advice to you as you walk through this life, it would be to be kind. Be strong, but don’t be afraid to ask for help. Protect those who can’t stand up for themselves, and always remember I love you with all that I am.

Wherever you go, wherever life may take you, I will always be watching over you.

Just look for the moon.

Skylah x

Tears stream down Liv’s face as she returns the letter.

“She had a fascination with the moon,” I say and chuckle. “Told my aunt she liked the name Jericho for a boy. It means ‘his moon’ or ‘city of the moon’. I’m glad they gave me the name so I have that connection to her.”

She wipes the wetness from her cheeks and sniffs. “It’s a strong name.”

I turn and snatch the tissue box from the coffee table and hand it to her.

She pulls some tissues free and dabs at her eyes. “I’m lost for words. I can’t even imagine what it was like for her.”

“Yeah, kinda hard to picture.”

“Do you have the locket?”

“You might see Daynah wearing it. I gave it to her. It’s an owl sitting on a crescent moon.”

“I think I’ve seen it,” she says in a soft voice.

I share more about the moment Daynah and I discovered each other, about the owl tattoo on Daynah’s shoulder, which was the only link she had based off a sketch left behind at the hospital. And how Skylah was told her daughter’s chance of survival was slim, her diseased heart and premature body weak. She was on the run, fearing for her life. She had no way to care for and protect the baby.

“Thank you for sharing this with me, Jerry. As hard as it might’ve been, I’m grateful you did.”

I made the right decision. We’re gonna be okay.

“So, if you’ll have me, warts and all, I promise I’ll do everything I can for you, for the baby. I’ll fight this charge. I’ll work my arse off to make this farm a success.”

Liv reaches out and runs her fingers through my hair. “I believe in you.”

I rest my forehead against hers, drinking in her sweet floral scent. “We’re in this together. I won’t let you down.”

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