She confided in me, and when she asked me to stay until my car was fixed, I agreed. Weeks passed. My car was ready, but I remained. Slowly, our grief began to ease. Clayton softened.
Lily smiled again. And I felt something I hadn’t in years: peace. One evening on the beach, Clayton whispered, “You could stay for good.” And I knew I would. I was no longer running—I was home. What he didn’t know was that I was pregnant. After all the heartbreak, life had given me a new beginning.