Page 33 of Healing Fate

I could hear Micah chuckling as the door closed behind me.

I raced over to the school. There were still cars lined up, but I was the last of the line. I usually parked and went inside, but as soon as Vanessa saw me, she disappeared and returned with Vada.

“Hi Mommy.”

“Hi pumpkin. Did you have a good day?” I turned to Vanessa before Vada could respond. “I’m really sorry. I was running behind.”

I certainly wasn’t going to tell her that I was making out with Micah and lost track of time. I knew my cheeks were burning just thinking about it.

“Lucy, you’re fine. We had a great day today, didn’t we?” she asked my daughter who smiled brightly and nodded. “See you tomorrow, Vada.”

“Bye, Nessa.”

I knew I had to stop thinking of him and concentrate on my little girl in the back seat.

When we pulled up to the house, there was a car waiting out front. I knew it wasn’t Micah’s. I didn’t recognize it at all.

The door opened as I parked, and I got out and walked around to put myself between the newcomer and Vada.

A very large man stepped out of the driver’s seat.

He nodded at me. “Lucy.”

I would never forget that face and those eyes of steel.

“Silas?”

He smiled at me, though somehow it didn’t soften his glare any.

The passenger door of the car opened and closed.

“I heard a rumor you were here.” Vada, the woman who had saved me countless times, had delivered my daughter into this world, and who I cherished so much that I’d named my kid after her, stepped from the car.

In seconds I was wrapped in her embrace as I was consumed by emotions.

“Vada?”

“I here, Mommy,” my daughter said.

I laughed through tears.

The elder Vada let go of me as I turned to help my daughter out of her car seat. I lifted her into my arms.

“Sweetheart, this is Vada, too.”

“Hi,” she said shyly.

“Hi, Vada. Can I hold you?”

My little girl shot me a look, but I smiled and nodded.

Vada took her from me. I watched the two of them together as little Vada sniffed her shoulder and then pulled back.

“I know you.”

“I know you, too. Silas, isn’t she the most precious thing in the world?”

The man that I was certain was made of ice literally melted as he watched them.