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A future without you though…it’s just day after day after day,

and I can’t do that anymore. It’s not a life at all. I do trust you,

Coralyn. You could have had anything from me, and you

didn’t take anything. You gave me so much instead.”

Coralyn was so good, just pure wonder and light and all the

things that Giana desperately needed dropped into her life as a

crazy gift that she hadn’t been expecting and certainly didn’t

deserve, a gift that hadn’t arrived in the right packaging but

now that it was open it was wonderous and worthy of being

treasured.

&

nbsp; Coralyn clasped her hand so tightly that Giana swore she

could feel the bones rearranging, but it was nice. That tight

hold. Her heart creaked, and maybe that was nice too. Coralyn

silently took the box from Giana. Her hand was still closed

around it. “Thank you,” she mouthed, because she couldn’t

quite get her voice to work. It was so much more than just two

words. Thank you felt like forgiveness, an apology, and a new

beginning.

Giana watched her set it on the counter. She just stared at it,

her entire world moved by Giana’s gesture. By her opening her

heart up again, finally. “How about we try those miracle eggs

you were promising?” Followed be me taking you back to bed,

or giving you that shower you wanted, or anything else you

might demand. Followed be us being wrapped up in each

other, talking about your new job. Talking about going on a

real date. Followed by anything and everything, because you

make me believe that might actually be possible.

Coralyn understood and heard everything Giana wasn’t

saying. She was utterly arresting, enchanting, and so beautiful