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Gabriel rubbed her back sympathetically

“Why didn’t she lovetorn apart He sat behind her, pulling her back against his chest

“I wish I had an answer All I can say is that I understand Believe me, Julianne, I understand”

“It’s hard for raphs It’s clear she loved you when you were born You can see it in her face She loved you after that, too, when you were little”

“But she loved alcohol more”

“It’s an addiction”

“I’m not without co alcohol and htened “That’s as it should be But you’ve never struggled with addiction, Julianne That’s so I know too much about

“I’m sure there were times your mother wanted to stop”

“There were tirace of God go we,” he whispered

When she didn’t respond, he continued in a whisper, “This isinto our parents, and now see what’s happened”

“You aren’t the one who hurt me

“I suppose it was silly to think I’d find an explanation in one of these boxes If my dad doesn’t have one, how could there be an explanation in a pile of junk?”

“Your baby things aren’t junk We’ll fras on a shelf Soirl, you can show her how beautiful her mama looked when she was a baby”

Julia pressed her face into the crook of his neck “Thank you”

He gave her a tight squeeze, holding her until she was ready to pack up the boxes

Chapter Forty-six

I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” Julia stared wide-eyed at her gynecologist

It was the third week in September and Julia had just had her yearly physical exa any fertility issues But the doctor’s re but routine

“I want you to have an ultrasound My secretary will contact radiology at Mount Auburn Hospital and schedule the appoint that in my referral” Dr Rubio scribbled hastily in Julia’s chart

Julia’s stomach flipped “So it’s serious?”

“Potentially serious” The doctor paused, her dark eyes ood that you ca on one of your ovaries We need to knohat it is You’ll have an ultrasound, the radiologist rite up a report and send it to o from there”

“Cancer?” Julia could barely pronounce the word

“That’s a possibility It could be a benign growth or a cyst We’ll know“But don’t miss your ultrasound appointht away”