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I approach them. Leia says, “We’re going to visit my grandparents.”
Alessandra looks at her with pure adoration while trying to mask her pain. When the little one is out of earshot, Alessandra sinks down on the grass and lifts her eyes to the sky.
I sit next to her as she wipes tears from her cheeks.
“What happened?” I ask.
“Hayden’s family was killed. It was my fault.”
Of all the things she could’ve said, I didn’t see that one coming.
She takes a few breaths before continuing. “Years make the loss more bearable, but their absence will always leave a hole.”
“I’m sorry.”
“How are you?” She quickly changes the topic.
“Adapting,” I say.
“It’s a difficult and challenging time for all of us. Personally, I think you’re braver than you think.”
With that, she pushes herself up and calls to Leia. “I’m sorry I have to cut this short.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
“Come by whenever you want.”
Leia waves at me as they leave. Hayden is standing by his car, waiting for them. He opens the door for them before kissing Alessandra. Their love must be one of a kind to get past something like that.
I turn around and find Chiara and Aurora approaching with their kids; both of them eye the departing car.
Chiara points at my face. “She told you.”
“It’s just . . .”
Aurora sighs dreamingly. “Love.”
Still, how? How do you forget and move on?
Chiara’s daughter grins and plops down next to me while her mother has an entire nonverbal conversation with her.
“When can I hold your hand?” Celia asks me.
Chiara turns red and throws her hands in the air. “And he wants another kid.”
Aurora chuckles and picks up her son, who immediately pushes out of her arms and crawls away.
We sit in a circle and watch the children play.
“I have a new jewelry design idea, and I want to run it by you,” Chiara says,
Confusion must be written all over my face.
She adds, “You inspire me.”
Shock mutes me.
“Take it as the compliment it is,” says Aurora.
