Emma’s face is gentler, eyes cautious.
“I’m not here to make this easier on myself,” she says. “I just… need to say something.”
I nod once. “Okay.”
“I’m sorry,” she says.
No qualifiers. No excuses.
“I hurt you and I hurt Jace. And I did it in the worst possible way.”
Her voice cracks, but she keeps going.
“I didn’t plan it,” she admits. “That’s not an excuse. It’s just the truth. My mother said what she said, and I snapped.”
Ellie shifts her weight, jaw tightening, but she stays silent.
“I made a choice and ruined lives,” Sierra says quietly.
Emma speaks gently. “You didn’t ruin everything.”
Sierra exhales. “I feel like I did.”
I take a breath. “Okay, go ahead, I’m listening.”
Her shoulders drop. “I don’t really know what to say, I just needed to ay it to you myself.” She admits quietly.
“I just needed to say it to you myself.”
Ellie finally speaks, voice level. “Okay. Then say it straight.”
Sierra nods. “I didn’t think about you or anyone else when it happened. I was so focused on surviving my own mess that I didn’t think about who else would get hurt.”
Emma’s hand finds mine.
“What you did took something from me,” I say quietly. “Even if you didn’t mean to.”
“I know.”
“And I’m not pretending it didn’t hurt.” I reply.
“I wouldn’t ask you to.”
I hold her gaze, then say it. “I forgive you.”
Her breath catches.
Ellie turns toward me. “Sarah—”
I shake my head slightly.
“Not because it didn’t matter,” I continue. “But because I don’t want this to own me.”
Tears spill down Sierra’s face but she doesn’t wipe them away. “Thank you,” she whispers.
Ellie exhales slowly, then says, calmer, “Take care of yourself.”
She gives me one last nod, then steps back toward the door.
