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I’d lost my family home and my last remaining parent, and yet the sun still rose. The world still spun. Life went on.
I leaned my head onto David’s shoulder and he pulled me close. “Are you ready to leave yet?” he asked.
Was I? No. Something wasn’t done. I wasn’t sure what, but I knew I needed to stay.
Not long after, Tom made his way over to me, holding a small wooden box. “Ellie, the fire inspector found this in the rubble. Everything around it was practically cinder, but this is in nearly pristine condition.”
I took it from him, gasping. The box with Daddy’s pocket watches. It was coated in a layer of dust, but he was right—it was completely undamaged. I ran my fingers around the edges.
David sat upright. “Is that what I think it is?”
“What is it?” Collin asked, leaning closer.
I lifted the lid, exposing the contents. “It’s from Daddy.” The timepieces were in perfect condition, nestled in their velvet beds. Obviously, the watches had survived for a reason. They still had an important purpose.
Did Daddy have anything to do with this? Was this his way of offering his love and support? If someone had suggested it two months ago, I’d have called them crazy. But a scent of leather and cinnamon hung in the air. He was with me right now.
I looked up at Collin. “It’s a sign of hope—that we can do this. That we can conquer the demons and make everything right again.”
A cocky grin spread across his face. “Hell, we already have that, Ellie.”
I chuckled. “Why? Becauseyou’reon board?”
“No. Because we’ve got the best weapon we could possibly have.” He leaned closer, turning serious. “We’ve gotyou.”
I only hoped that I was enough.
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