elf and started walking, his steps

e, my own heart a painf

, the place where he'd first told me

was a bi

shop she worked at part-time, a detail I remem

n tables, looking

slid into the boot

wide with a mixture of guilt and

said, keeping my voice low and

r hand flying

w what you're

out his illness. The pancreatic cancer. I k

lled in

u k

a bad person. I did some research. Your mother

slumping into the

d it was the only way to save you. To give you a future. I thought he was just a rich jerk try

," I

cross the table, the

one was

ou. It's enough to cover your moth

pe, then at me, her expr

" she

to walk away from this. I can't fight him if he has you a

traced a path

e envelope ba

take yo

"Consider it compensation for the emotional d

tery laugh

ally is terrib

ching my lips for the first time that day.

envelope, her finge

lyn. Underneath all th

voice soft. "That's

me, a new reso

you need