And until this exact moment, she hadn't set eyes on him. All the pain and old wounds were reopened just looking at him squirming behind the desk. She wanted to throw everything at him, what she'd been through, what he missed, their daughter. But she wouldn't. She wasn't here for revenge, she was here for the opportunity to fulfill her dream.
She could see traces of her daughter in him. The eyes, a deep blue that almost looked purple. The way his lower lip puckered when he was trying not to look guilty. Inside she moaned with grief. Sadie was gone and there wasn't a way she could bring her daughter back. Her nerves were raw, she needed to get this reunion over with so she could go home and lay waste to a pint of ice cream.
Keith started gathering papers, his hands shaking. Finally, he stopped. Took a deep breath and looked up at her. "I know I hurt you, Stephanie. I never heard from you after that day." She knew he wanted to know what happened to the baby. He didn't deserve to know. He walked out, he left her by herself to pick up the pieces of her life he had shattered.
"It was long ago, Keith. Just let it go. You made your wishes clear, the decisions I made are my own and have nothing to do with you. I need to fill out that paperwork so I can get going." She stared into his eyes, Sadie's eyes. He broke contact and handed a stack of papers over to her. She began filling them out, rushing through them, trying to get everything filled in so that she could get the hell out of there.
She stood as she handed the completed papers over to him. "Keep to your side of the building, Keith. I definitely would prefer not running into you here again." She turned and walked out. She could feel his eyes drilling into the back of her, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of turning back at looking at him.
Stephanie made it all the way back to her car before she finally broke down. She sat in the driver's seat and wept. Wept for the girl she had been, the opportunity that had been given to her, and her sweet Sadie. Sadie's smile, her little hand that clutched at hers whenever they went somewhere. The child had smelled like cookies and happiness. And then the moment she was told that Sadie was gone. That a drunk driver had jumped the curb and smashed into the playground at her pre-school. The moment she had to claim her 4-year-old daughter's body.
Hot tears streaked down her face. Three months ago she buried her daughter.
------
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She could see traces of her daughter in him. The eyes, a deep blue that almost looked purple. The way his lower lip puckered when he was trying not to look guilty. Inside she moaned with grief. Sadie was gone and there wasn't a way she could bring her daughter back. Her nerves were raw, she needed to get this reunion over with so she could go home and lay waste to a pint of ice cream.
Keith started gathering papers, his hands shaking. Finally, he stopped. Took a deep breath and looked up at her. "I know I hurt you, Stephanie. I never heard from you after that day." She knew he wanted to know what happened to the baby. He didn't deserve to know. He walked out, he left her by herself to pick up the pieces of her life he had shattered.
"It was long ago, Keith. Just let it go. You made your wishes clear, the decisions I made are my own and have nothing to do with you. I need to fill out that paperwork so I can get going." She stared into his eyes, Sadie's eyes. He broke contact and handed a stack of papers over to her. She began filling them out, rushing through them, trying to get everything filled in so that she could get the hell out of there.
She stood as she handed the completed papers over to him. "Keep to your side of the building, Keith. I definitely would prefer not running into you here again." She turned and walked out. She could feel his eyes drilling into the back of her, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of turning back at looking at him.
Stephanie made it all the way back to her car before she finally broke down. She sat in the driver's seat and wept. Wept for the girl she had been, the opportunity that had been given to her, and her sweet Sadie. Sadie's smile, her little hand that clutched at hers whenever they went somewhere. The child had smelled like cookies and happiness. And then the moment she was told that Sadie was gone. That a drunk driver had jumped the curb and smashed into the playground at her pre-school. The moment she had to claim her 4-year-old daughter's body.
Hot tears streaked down her face. Three months ago she buried her daughter.
------
Want to see where it all started? Start from the beginning:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
Post 4
Post 5
Post 6
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