Before I could second guess myself, I strode forward, pushing open the door and crossing to the dresser. I yanked open the drawer, rummaging around until my fingers closed on the smooth, polished wood of the box.
I carried it over to the bed and sank down on the edge of the mattress. For a long moment, I just held it, staring at the grain of the wood, the gold clasp.
Then, slowly, I opened it.
Mira's wedding ring lay nestled inside, the diamond catching the light. I picked it up, rolling it between my fingers. It felt so light, so delicate. Nothing like the weight of the memories it carried.
"What would you want me to do, Mira?" I whispered, my voice rough. "Would you want me to hold on forever? To never let myself feel anything for anyone else?"
I closed my eyes, picturing her face. The warmth of her smile, the love in her eyes.
"Or would you want me to let go? To open myself up to the possibility of...something new?"
I exhaled slowly, feeling the ache in my chest expand, filling me up until I thoughtI might burst with it. I didn't know. I wasn't sure I could do either—hold on or let go. It felt like an impossible choice, one I wasn't ready to make.
Carefully, I placed the ring back in the box and shut the lid. I returned it to its place in the drawer and pushed it closed.
Then, I simply sat there in the gathering dark, alone with the ghosts of my past and the uncertainty of my future.
Chapter 5
Rissa
The scentsof roasted chicken and garlic washed over me as Gavin and I stepped into Dad's house. It felt homey, familiar. But then I saw Mom standing there in the living room, and my whole body froze.
She wasn't supposed to be here. She had moved to Florida months ago, starting a new chapter. A life without us. Definitely without Dad. They’d been divorced since I was three, and I’d moved with Mom to Knoxville. Hell, her moving to Florida was the whole reason I’d come back here.
Beside me, Gavin stiffened. "Mom?"
Mom smiled, her big eyes crinkling at the corners like this was exactly where she belonged. "Surprise!"
Dad came over, slipping an arm around her waist. They fit together like two puzzle pieces reunited. "We've been talking for a while. One thing led to another and, well..." He glanced at her, his expression soft. Adoring. "We decided to give it another shot."
My stomach twisted into knots. This could go really well or really terribly. "Are you serious?"
They both nodded and gazed at each other, all gooey-eyed.
"We're older now. Wiser. Different people," Dad said. The way they looked at each other, like no one else existed, made an ache bloom in my chest. It was real. They were really doing this. Holy shit.
Gavin rubbed a hand over his jaw. "Wow." His tone was flat, giving nothing away. But I knew him. He was still processing, trying to make sense of it all—just like I was.
Mom's gaze softened as she looked between us. "I know this is a lot to take in."
Gavin recovered first, a smirk tugging at his mouth. Forced, but there. "Guess this is a double welcome homethen."
Mom laughed, relief threading through the sound. "Exactly." She opened her arms.
I moved first, stepping into her embrace. She smelled like vanilla, achingly familiar. Tears pricked my eyes as her arms tightened around me.
"My baby girl," she whispered. "I've missed you so much."
Dad joined the hug, his solid presence enveloping us. A sob caught in my throat. I hadn't realized how much I needed this. Needed them. Together.
Gavin hung back for a beat, but Mom reached for him, and he folded into her embrace with a shuddering sigh. We stood there, wrapped up in each other, and for a moment, everything felt right in the world. We were a family again.
In the kitchen, I helped set the table while Mom stirred something on the stove, the scent of roasted garlic and herbs filling the air. Gavin leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest. A grin tugged at his lips.
"Remember when we were kids and Dadtriedto cook?"
