Inside, Evelyn sat on our worn sofa.
Emma stood in the hallway, watching her carefully.
Evelyn’s eyes filled with tears.
“She looks so much like Frank.”
I moved between them.
“You don’t get to claim her because she reminds you of your son.”
“I know,” Evelyn said. “I came to ask for a chance, not to claim anything.”
Emma looked up at me.
I gave her a small nod.
“Are you really my grandmother?” she asked.
Evelyn covered her mouth with one hand.
“I should have been.”
“You were,” I said. “You simply weren’t here.”
Evelyn bowed her head.
“I want to make things right.”
“You cannot return ten years.”
“No,” she whispered. “But I can tell you how we found you.”
Barry lowered himself into one of the kitchen chairs.
“After leaving the diner, I went directly to Evelyn’s house,” he explained. “I refused to leave until she listened.”
