Chapter 7 - WHEN SARAH OPENED HER EYES
Sarah regained consciousness shortly after midnight on the third day.
Nathan was beside her bed.
For several seconds, she stared at him without speaking. Her face carried bruises he tried not to count. One wrist was immobilized, and a bandage curved above her temple.
“Lily?” she asked.
“Alive.”
“The twins?”
“Alive.”
Her eyes closed.
Nathan expected relief.
Instead, tears moved toward her ears.
“I sent her into the storm.”
“You sent her toward safety.”
“She’s five.”
“And she reached me.”
Sarah opened her eyes again.
“You believed him.”
The words contained no accusation Nathan had not already made against himself.
“Yes.”
“You believed I sold Mom’s bracelet.”
“Yes.”
“You believed I didn’t want you.”
“Yes.”
Her mouth trembled.
“I hated you when you told me not to come back.”
“I know.”
“But I never stopped trying.”
Nathan lowered his head.
“I stopped looking.”
The room remained quiet.
He did not ask for forgiveness.
An apology offered with the expectation of comfort would only become another burden placed on Sarah.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I should have verified the messages. I should have challenged the money requests. I should have found another way to leave the door open after you closed it.”
“I didn’t close it.”
“I know that now.”
Sarah turned toward the window.
Snow still pressed against the dark glass.
“Where is the bracelet?”
Nathan removed it from his pocket.
Sarah reached for it with her uninjured hand.
“I told Lily you’d recognize the damaged hinge.”
“I did.”
“She thought the engraving meant she had to return it to its owner.”
“It belongs to you.”
Sarah looked at him.
“No. That’s what Marcus never understood.”
May you like
She closed the bracelet inside her palm.
“It was never proof that anyone owned me.”
