“That wasn’t your fault.”

She stared at the street.

“You were happy before.”

I almost laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because it was so painfully wrong.

“Emma, do you know what this house was like before you came?”

“Big.”

“Very big.”

“And fancy.”

“Unfortunately.”

She gave me a tiny smile.

“It was quiet.”

Her smile disappeared.

“Joshua missed his mother. I missed his mother. We were good at being alone together.”

“That sounds sad.”

“It was.”

She looked at me.

“You made it louder.”

“Sorry.”

“I like louder.”

She sniffed.

“You do?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t want me to go?”

“No.”

“But Mama picked Aunt Laura.”

“That doesn’t mean I stop loving you.”

Her eyes filled.

There.

The word had slipped out.

Love.

I had not planned it.

I did not take it back.

Emma whispered, “You love me?”

“Yes.”

She looked terrified by the answer.

Not happy.

Terrified.

“What if I leave?”

“I’ll still love you.”

“What if I live with Aunt Laura?”

“I’ll still love you.”

“What if I get mad?”

“Still.”

“What if I’m bad?”

“You aren’t.”

“What if I am?”

“Still.”

Her chin trembled.

Then she leaned against me.

I wrapped my coat around her.

For a moment, everything was quiet.

Then someone stepped from the alley beside the church.

Greg.

I stood instantly, moving Emma behind me.

He stopped ten feet away.

“I’m not supposed to be near her.”

“No.”

“I know.”

“Then leave.”

He looked exhausted.

Not dangerous.

Not powerful.

Small.

That didn’t make me trust him.

“I saw the news,” he said. “Figured she might come here.”

Emma clutched my coat.

Greg saw it.

Something crossed his face.

Maybe shame.

Maybe regret.

Too late for either.

“I need to tell her something.”

“No.”

Emma whispered, “What?”

I looked down.

“Emma, you don’t have to listen.”

She stepped halfway from behind me.

Greg swallowed.

“Your mom didn’t blame you.”

Emma froze.

“What?”

“I lied.”

My body went rigid.

Greg’s eyes lowered.

“When Rebecca got sick, I was angry. Scared. I said things.”

“You said Mama got sick because of me.”

“I know.”

“Why?”

He had no good answer.

“Because I was a terrible person.”

Emma stared at him.

“That’s not an answer.”

No.

It wasn’t.

Greg nodded slowly.

“You’re right.”

Police sirens approached.

Greg glanced toward the street.

“I came back because the money ran out.”

Emma’s face changed.

There it was.

The ugliest truth.

Not love.

Money.

Greg continued before I could stop him.

“I thought if I got guardianship again, I could access the rest of whatever Rebecca left.”

Emma’s eyes filled.

“You didn’t come for me?”

Silence.

“Greg?”

He looked at her.

“No.”

The word nearly broke her.

I wanted to destroy him for saying it.

And somehow I was grateful he finally had.

Because lies had kept Emma waiting for months.

Truth, however painful, might finally let her stop.

Police arrived.

Greg raised his hands before anyone asked.

“I’m done lying.”

They took him away.

Emma watched.

Then whispered, “He really isn’t coming back.”

I knelt.

“No.”

She began crying.

This time, it wasn’t the cry of a child waiting.

It was the cry of a child finally understanding she no longer had to.

I held her until Laura arrived.

Laura knelt beside us.

Then Joshua appeared with Rosa and ran across the wet pavement.

“Emma!”

She looked up.

He threw his arms around her.

“You’re not supposed to disappear!”

Emma laughed through tears.

“Sorry.”

“We were scared.”

“I know.”

Joshua pulled away.

“Come home.”

Emma looked at me.

Then Laura.

“Which home?”

Laura reached for her hand.

“The one where everybody who loves you is waiting.”

Emma stood between us.

For the first time, she wasn’t being pulled from one life to another.

She was walking toward people who had come looking.

And none of us intended to stop.

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