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I’ve thought about that quite a bit since then And the way I envisioned it--she merely closed her eyes, her hands folded over her chest, peaceful, as the first wave took her body It was alh the rest of that sustoas rebuilt It went a lot faster because of the grey pearls Those little mussels came in useful when they were needed In some way, it was like they were meant to be discovered when they were There were a lot of other heroes hailed from the flood, but I was one of them I didn’t run this time I didn’t want to run, and I knew that whatever was broken inside had healed

You see, I was row inside of you that will just keep hurting, biting, snarling You sink farther, and eventually the ht back They ht for happiness

I can’t explain what happened or how it happened, but learning ained perspective and realized it wasn’tup I wasn’t the ‘defect’

It was them

It was the lies that tore apart ether We stood no chance as children, but now that I know everything--God help ether

Julia and I started slowly, but by the last brick that cestown--she stood at o, but that’s her fight with her ownwould keep me from her side Not anymore

Boone returned to his own home and to his own story He did me a favor and took his family with him

A part of my heart wanted to reach out to hiive him before And now that I did, Jonah already claimed ownership If it hadn’t been Jonah, if I’d never survived the first storm and returned home, I couldn’t tell you ould’ve happened between Boone and me All I know, his name will always be Boone for me, and a part of me will alish that I could’ve loved him as he deserved to be

That just meant that someone else was meant for him He’ll fit with her how Jonah fits with me How Jake and Julia seem to fit Aiden and Bubba Kate and Robbie--yes, finally! And how Mae confessed that she fit with Jeffries

That’s one of my last revelations

Mae always kneas my father He loved my mom, but he folded under pressure andring because he truly wanted to e work

He tried and failed My mom was around the corner Mae was the one who explained it, but she didn’t need to I are that life’s never simple, especially in adult years

His story is meant for another time, but it ended sadly and bitterly because when he’d left his wife--one her last round of cheers fall lifeless as they were curled with oogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>