and held her face in my hands for one second.
“You belong here,” I said.
Her eyes filled.
“Okay.”
“Not because anyone bought it for you. Not because anyone let you. Because you earned the door and you walked through it.”
She nodded, crying now.
“Okay.”
I kissed her forehead.
Then we left her there.
On the drive back to Chicago, my car felt unbearably empty.continue reading …
