Page 89 of Destiny

“Actually,” I say to Lisa, “bring me a wineglass. I think I’ll have some of that.”

“Then we’re going to need another bottle,” Brock says.

Later, I drive back to my parents’ house on the ranch. I packed a bag, and I’ll be spending the night in my old room.

What I really want to do is see Brendan. I miss him. I want to show him my tattoo.

But for some reason, I feel like I need to talk to my grandmother.

Mom and Dad are nowhere to be found when I get there, so after dropping off my bag in my room, I head to my grandmother’s room, disregarding my promise to my father that I wouldn’t see her without him present.

I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.

The night nurse is there, checking her vitals. My grandmother’s awake, and she looks at me and smiles.

“I was hoping you’d come tonight, Ava.”

I pull my bracelets off my wrist. “Grandmother, I need you to tell me about these bracelets.”

“So your mother finally gave them to you.”

“She did. After she told me about…”

Wendy nods. “Yes, about what a horrible person I am.”

I say nothing for a moment. Then, “Mom told me they came from my Grandmother Didi. That Didi gave them to her because I was an old soul.”

“Youarean old soul, Ava. Who do you think told Grandma Didi that?”

“You?”

“I’m the one who led your father to your grandmother,” Wendy says. “Ruby’s father told her that Didi was dead, but she wasn’t. Your father loved your mother so much, so I allowed him to find Didi and give Ruby the gift of her mother.”

“You? This whole time?”

“You already know I didn’t die that day, don’t you?”

“How can someone…” I shake my head. “Help me understand, Grandmother.”

“I think what you want to know is, how can I do both horrendous things and wonderful things?”

“Yes.”

“Nothing is black-and-white in this life, Ava. Surely you know that. Being the old soul that you are.”

I nod. She’s right. I do know that.

“So did these bracelets ever belong to Grandma Didi?”

“Oh, they did. They were a gift from me.”

“But Didi… She lived with us.”

“She did. For several years. But those bracelets came from me. She knew me as a friend.”

“How would Mom and Dad not have known that?”

“I knew your grandmother long before you were born, Ava. From the time your mother was just a child.”

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