Page 64 of Come Alive

The small woman before me, the one who had been forced to take my place. Who had been put through unspeakable evils. Who had made it out, only to be put through it again.

How can I not blame myself?

“Eve?” I asked gently.

She looked up at me with dark brown eyes, her lips lifting ever so lightly.

She offered me a reassuring smile.

My heart beat its way up my throat as I took her in. As I recognized it was time for her to have her happily-ever-after.

She deserved it.

“I’m okay, Yara. I promise. They’ve got me. And our baby. I just needed a minute to prepare myself.” Her soft voice broke through, and it was as if the tension in the air evaporated.

She had found her people.

Just as Izzy had.

Just as I had.

We had all found the love we needed.

Turning to give Eve space to get out of the car, my attention found Mateo.

He was focused on me, ready to help with anything I needed.

Mateo was the blockade that kept anything dangerous away. The strength that kept me fighting no matter what.

My eyes flicked past Mateo. James was just on the other side of the gate, rocking our baby boy and smiling at Henry.

James was the stability and wisdom we needed in our otherwise chaotic lives.

My gaze searched and landed on Kazi at the gift table with Dorothy on his shoulders, his face tinted pink, even from this distance.

Kazi was the home I never had, the calm that kept me stable in the darkest hours.

A smile ghosted my lips as tears formed in my eyes.

I am so happy.

Exactly as I am.