Page 292 of Taken Away

“I thought…”

“I know.”

“All this time, I thought…”

“I know.”

She looked at the photograph again.

“He knew me.”

“Yes.”

“He held me.”

“Yes.”

“He wanted me.”

Bennett’s eyes burned.

“Yes.”

Aubrey’s knees weakened, and he pulled her into his arms.

She clung to him with the photograph trapped between them.

For a long time, she cried without sound.

Not like before.

Not with the jagged grief that had broken her at his house.

This was different.

This was grief meeting grace.

This was a little girl, finally being handed back to herself.

When she could breathe again, Aubrey pulled away just enough to look at the Bible on the desk.

“Mabel knew this was here.”

“I think so.”

“She kept it.”

“Yes.”

“She was trying to tell me.”

Bennett wiped a tear from her cheek.

“She was trying to give him back to you.”

Aubrey closed her eyes.

Fresh tears slipped down her face.