Page 131 of We Are Yours

“Don’t break their hearts like I did, okay? Can you promise me that, too?”

I nodded, crying right along with her.

This was by far the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. I never had to say goodbye to anyone. Nobody ever stayed around that long to matter to me. This was all so new and confusing, so painful, and never-ending. This would forever stay with me, and a huge part of me wanted it to.

“I love you, my sweet girl.” She kissed my forehead one last time, whispering, “Forever my sweet girl.”

I let her words etch into my skin, making their way into my heart. It was the first time anyone ever told me they loved me.

In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

I bawled for the boys once again, losing their mother.

* * *

But I especially cried for the little girl inside me who thought she had found one.

Chapter

Forty-Four

Kraven

Isla found us at the diner an hour later. It was one of our favorite spots to eat. She texted Julius, and he told her where we were. We ate our lunch in silence.

Where do we go from here?

Julius’s stare connected with mine, nodding toward the attendant. I was closer to her than he was, and I knew what he wanted me to do. I was thinking the same thing.

A few minutes later, the restaurant erupted with, “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Isla! Happy birthday to you!”

Suddenly, Isla beamed, glowing so bright it was nearly blinding. Her smile illuminated the entire room. Her happiness was contagious. It was far too easy to make her content. She needed so little. It made me appreciate the small things more. Something as simple as a happy birthday song.

Julius smiled at her. “Make a wish.”

Isla tightly shut her eyes, concentrating on her wish, and I never wanted to know what she was thinking more than I did at that moment.

What did she wish for?

I just hoped it had nothing to do with Melody.

“Thank you, guys,” she declared. “That was my first happy birthday song ever.”

I think this was the first time she shared something like that with us at the same time.

“Well,” I simply stated, “the first of many.”

The rest of the day, I guess you could say we did a do-over. Isla chose everything we did, and we ended up at Central Park, trying to make up for yesterday.

For most of the time, she was funny.

Grateful.

Surviving the aftermath that was Melody Knightly.

On the train ride back to the house, she sat between us and grabbed our hands. Placing them in her lap. We rode like that for the entire ride. When it was time to get off, she stood first and thanked us again for the day. Julius kissed her neck, pulling her close to his side.

It was dark out by the time we walked inside the house.