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Chapter One

Holly

I stared at the ramen noodles I stirred in a pot on the stove This was the fifth night in a row raets were for dinner I looked over at the kitchen table and saw uilt hit irl’s ht, and I was a screw-up She deserved so much better

When I looked atand saw the balance, I just wanted to shut down and cry

A little more than fifty dollars to my name

Christ, and I could barely afford to feed her a proper meal

Out of nowhere, small arms wrapped around my waist

“I’m sorry about dinner,” I whispered, defeated

“Why, Moht tears to my eyes

My job was to uplift her, and here she was trying to make me feel better I looked down at her adorable face and felt my heart expand

When o with a baby in her arift I ever could have received I was barely twenty years old then and only in e One look at Sophie’s chubby cheeks and big blue eyes and I fell madly in love

So, I did what any good parent did… I decided to go to school part time and work two jobs so I could take care of Sophie I was lucky to have Mrs Miller across the hall, the nicest old lady on the planet She saved Sophie and me She was the one who helpedto keep our heads above water I didn’t knoe would if she weren’t in our lives

“Holly?” As if Mrs Miller had heard h the front door was clear

“Mrs Miller Cory?” I sh Sophie and I didn’t have lad to share