Page 23 of If You Love Me

He pulled me toward the front door. After fumbling with the keys for a moment, he finally got it open. We stepped inside, and my eyes instantly began to water. Everything was decorated just as I left it.

“You didn’t change anything,” I whispered.

“I didn’t. We did this together. I couldn’t rid the place of you.”

I slowly made my way around the living room, looking at every picture on the walls. On the mantle above the fireplace were pictures of Tyrion and Summer Rose from her first birthday, all the way to her tenth. My baby was cheesing hard in every one.

“She has your smile,” I said.

Tyrion walked over to where I stood. “She has your laugh… loud and obnoxious.”

I playfully punched him. “My laugh is not obnoxious.”

“You snort, and if it’s really funny, you scream.”

“You never complained about my laugh.”

“You were cute. You could have had worse flaws.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”

“You want to see her room?”

“Please.”

Grabbing my hand, he led me down the hall to a pink door.

“Pink is her favorite color,” he said, eyeing me. “Pink and lots of glitter.”

He opened her door, and I was greeted by just that. There was a pink glitter accent wall behind her bed. The bedroom set was white with pink bedding. The desk in the corner was white with a pink glitter top, along with a pink chair. In another corner was a huge pink beanbag chair with a fluffy white blanket. Lights were strung up behind it, and a neon sign with her name was placed on the wall along with floating bookshelves.

Everything was so neat and clean.

I sat on the bed and looked around the place, trying to imagine her in here. When my eyes landed on the picture of me, I gasped.

“Does—does she know who I am, Tyrion?”

He came to take a seat beside me, grabbing my hand. “Of course she does. I’ve never kept her from you. I’ve always told her stories about you and how much you loved her. Sometimes she repeats it back to me like she was right there when it happened,” he added with a chuckle. “She talks to you all the time, Evenie. It started when she was about five, and it hasn’t changed yet. She tells you all about her day. She celebrates birthdays and holidays with you… I didn’t let her forget you. She knows all there is to know about you, love.”

I couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my cheeks. I knew my memory had to be painful for him in my absence, but the fact that my daughter knew me because of him was enough to make me cry. I buried my face in my hands and let out every tear I could possibly shed. Tyrion wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly as he rocked me.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, stroking my arm. “You’re back. You have nothing but time to make up for.”

The mention of having to make up time made me cry harder. I should never have been in this position. I was supposed to be here. I was supposed to already know my child, not getting readyto see her again for the first time in ten years. It wasn’t just my life that was stolen from me… It was my time.

Things might never be the same, no matter how hard I prayed that they would be. I just didn’t know what was in store for the future.

The sound of the doorbell ringing broke us apart. I stood up and wiped tears from my face.

“You ready?” Tyrion asked.

I nodded. He stood and helped me to my feet, then led me back into the living room. I stood, waiting nervously as he went to the door.

“Is everything okay, baby?” Mrs. Pauline asked from the porch.

“Everything is fine, Ma.”

“Why aren’t you at work?” That was my mother. The sound of her voice made my heart almost leap from my chest.

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