Careful.
Not desperate this time.
Not afraid.
Just grateful.
Grateful she was here.
Grateful she was safe.
Grateful I got another chance to tell her what I should have told her years ago.
Behind us, Mrs. Jenkins sniffled loudly.
Doris whispered, “Finally.”
Betty clapped both hands over her mouth.
Trigger muttered, “About time.”
Wolf grinned.
Dad just smiled.
And Sadie laughed against my mouth.
The ranch was still damaged.
The window was still broken.
The fear would take time to fade.
But Gerald was gone.
Sadie was in my arms.
And for the first time in a long time…
The future didn’t feel like something to fear.
It felt like something to fight for.
46
SADIE
The new kitchen window went in two days later.
Beast insisted on doing it himself.
Dad insisted on helping.
Which mostly meant they stood in the kitchen arguing over measurements while I handed them tools neither one had asked for.
“You’re holding it crooked,” Dad said.
“I’m not.”
