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Liftingout the windshield, I put the truck in drive and head out of the parking lot towards the highway When I spoke with Ellie earlier and explained to her ent down, I could hear her cry in relief and sadness as I told her about Avalee I knew she could understand to an extent what Avalee had been through, and that shit killedlike that, and there is no fucking way a woman should ever have to experience that shit firsthand
Getting on the highway, I make a last second decision and turn in the opposite direction of houre out why it’s so important to talk to her after all these years I just know so in me needs to put that part of my past to rest so I can fullyto reach the town she’s now calling home, and when I pull up in front of the small house that is located on a street with homes sirass of the front yard is cut low, and the flowerbeds out front look like they have recently been tilled, like they are just waiting for flowers to be planted Puttingout, the front door opens just as I’ here?"
Taking in Jules for the first time in over twenty years, I’m taken aback by how different we look I don’t knohy I thought there would be so at her now, I see there’s none
"I don’t want any trouble," she says, letting the metal storm door close behind her with a whoosh as she steps out onto the shter around her waist
"I’ to stand at the bottoed well I knew froirl, and tiood to her Her dark brown hair is cut just above her shoulders, and her crean of wrinkles I don’t knohy I pictured her weathered and warn, but I did "Really, I’back on the heels ofher back on , watching her body jolt and her eyes coainst the pain I see there, I question, "Why did you do it? Why didn’t you love me?" I whisper the last part, which see away at me most
"I didn’t even love myself," I hear her say before she walks back into the house without a second glance, closing the door behind her
Pulling et inside, where I stare at her house for a long time I didn’t expect her to invite ivemy truck in reverse, I pull out of her driveway then look at her house in the rearview ht; I was lucky as fuck to have the parents I have There has never been a day I haven’t known they love ht then that Hope and any other kids Ellie and I have will feel the sauess or wonder when it comes to my love for the tofrom Hope’s room down the hall
"You wanted puppies," she lare at her as she pulls the covers up over her head
"The puppies want to go outside, and I’wy!" Hope yells a minute later
"Three years," Ellieto how long her birth control iood for
It’s been teeks since we found Yury, and in that time, he confessed to theVanessa Coh her fa her loss, they were relieved to have closure and to know her murderer was off the streets and behind bars where he can’t hurt anyone else Avalee had also been in touch with Harlen She explained she was doing okay then asked for July and Ellie’s nuh a sih not as severe as what she endured Ellie and July had both talked to her a few tier
"Do you wantout frohts
"No, baby, sleep," I say, pressing a kiss to her forehead and slipping out of bed, I walk down the hall to Hope’s roo pen while Chip and Pancake juet to her
"Good, you’re here" She sighs then points to the puppies "They want out"
"I see that," I confir both puppies to rush out of the crate and circle her feet, which sends her into a fit of giggles
"Let’s get them downstairs before they have an accident," I tell her, picking both wiggling puppies up and carrying the her follow me out the back door of the kitchen, where I stand shirtless in the cold, vowing to have a fence put up and a doggie door put in soon so that I won’t have to do this shit forever