“You didn’t,” he said. “You turned around. You chose us.”
He paused. Swallowed. Looked out at the water before speaking again.
“There’s something I need to tell you. The reason I fought so hard for you to stay.”
Sara tensed. “Okay…”
“This morning I remembered the dream I had last night.”
Her stomach dropped. “A dream?”
“Yeah. You, me, Jaqueline… and Claire.”
Sara froze.
Her breath hitched. Her mind reeled.Claire?
“I know how that sounds,” Jaxon said quickly, “but just listen.”
He told her everything.
How he and Jaqueline had been sitting on this very dock. How he heard footsteps—how he thought it was Sara, but when he turned, it was Claire. Standing in the middle of the dock like a ghost the tide brought in. How she looked at him, then toward the house—just in time to see Sara stepping outside. How Claire’s eyes dropped to Jaqueline. How she smiled. Not sad. Not bitter. But like she knew.
Like she planned it.
“Leave it to my sister,” Sara whispered, eyes filling fast.
“I wouldn’t put it past her,” Jaxon said. “But that wasn’t the only dream.”
Sara’s brows pulled together. “There’s more?”
He nodded. “I had friends over. There were kids playing. Trevor’s daughter and this other little girl—about Jaqueline’s age. I was grilling, and I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. Turned—and there she was. Claire. She told me she was just passing through. Then the little girl ran up and asked me when dinner would be ready. She called me Daddy.”
Sara’s hand flew to her mouth.
“She asked Claire who she was. Claire smiled and said she was just an old friend. We talked a little more, and when I offered for her to stay, she said she couldn’t. That she just wanted to check in. That I should take care of that girl.”
“Oh my God,” Sara whispered. “Jaxon…”
“The weirdest part?” he said, voice trembling. “I didn’t even know I had a daughter. I woke up, went to shower… and then you were at my door. With Jaqueline.”
Silence wrapped around them.
Only it wasn’t empty—it was full.
Of meaning.
Of echoes.
Of every twist of fate that led them here.
“She knew,” Sara said, voice cracking. “Claire… she knew. She wanted me to bring Jaqueline to you. This was her plan.”
Jaxon nodded, tears on his cheeks. “And I think… maybe… she wanted us to be okay too.”
Sara didn’t answer.
She just leaned her head on his shoulder.
