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"What?" I whispered, sensing the importance of the words he was about to say

He tipped my face up to his "We're ht, or even question the other There will be tis up every fear inside me But my vow is this: no matter what happens, I will never leave the rooh it" His eyes entle and vulnerable "And by that, I mean I won't draay inside myself either I'll stay present until we've solved the issue between us, noit takes I don't want you ever to worry I'll push you away again I vow that to you with my whole heart"

I felt a deep ache of tenderness as I nodded up at him "I vow the same"

He sently "And sometimes we'll meet halfway, but other times, I'll come to you And I'll try my very best to put my pride aside so I knohen I need to be the one to do that"

"Me too," I whispered, tears floodingthe tears to flon my cheeks He kissedhis face into my hair

And these vows, ht of the h our bedroom , felt sacred and real, for these voere based on truth and love

EPILOGUE

Eight Years Later

Grayson

"What exactly are you doing, little sprite?" I asked, staring down at the seven-year-old girl crawling through the grass Her head popped up, cascades of auburn hair falling down her back, deep brown eyes blinking up at me

"I' to be a caterpillar," she answered

"Ah," I said, holding back the sed at my lips "Yesterday you were a daisy, and today you're a caterpillar"

She ca her hands on her small hips "Grandpa Walter says you can't truly understand soh their eyes"

"Does he now?" That sounded just like Walter, the ood father "Well, I don't know if he was referring to daisies and caterpillars"

"But they're my favorite!" she insisted "I want to understand them most of all!"

I chuckled "And what have you discovered so far?"

"Well, daisies look up at the sky all day and watch it change They must think the world is a very pretty place Caterpillars just look at the ground" She frowned "Caterpillars must be very disappointed with the world"