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She nodded “Yes, we’re here”

“I need to take the rental car back and get to the airport”

“Want o with you?” she offered

“That’s ok But thank you”

I stood to hug her She seemed frail in my arht from her limbs She was thinner than I had ever seen her She smelled like vanilla She kept a jar of hand crème next to her bed It was the sah to sneak in her room and dab it on my arms

I let go and looked at her

“He’s going to be ok, Mom We all are”

“I know I know Call me when you land in DC?”

“I will” I took e entrance

Thirtyin the ter that I had found Garrett and was headed back to DC I pr

ayed his business trip was over and we could spend the night together If there was one thing I neededelse in this world after the past two days, it was him

I tucked the phone in ather in the picked and worn seats around me

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Uber deposited me on the sidewalk The driver popped the trunk and I walked to the rear of the car forin my purse for my keys

I read the text from my father