Page 56 of Crash
Quynh’s memories brought her back to the fateful day in the park. How confused she had been when she saw the little blonde girl calling her father, ‘daddy.’
“He tried to find you and your mother for years. It was like you had vanished into thin air.”
Something wet splashed against the back of her hands. She realized she was crying. Quynh reached up to wipe away the tears. Cindy leaned over and handed her a handful of tissues.
“For what it's worth, I’m so happy to see you again.”
Quynh’s lips thinned in an attempt at a smile. She couldn’t think of a proper response.
What am I even supposed to say to such a bombshell?
Griffin’s approaching truck rumbled in the distance.She almost jumped out of her seat. She was so grateful to hear the familiar rumble as it made its way to the front of the house.
She sniffed and wiped her tears away, thanked Cindy, and took off to meet Griffin in the driveway.
His truck barely pulled to a stop before she ripped the door open and hopped in. Griffin looked at her. His face tightened at what he saw, but he didn’t say a word. She was grateful for the reprieve, however brief it may be. He’ll probably grill her for answers later.
But right now, she needed a break from the emotional roller coaster.
Quynh felt lost.
Was everything I thought I knew a lie?
twenty-four
QUYNH
The drive back to Griffin’s was silent.
Her thoughts spiraled, and a thousand questions flashed through her mind. One question kept coming back.
She wondered what would have happened if her mother had waited just one day before deciding to move across the country.
Would my life be completely different?
She likely would have grown up knowing both her parents loved her. Undoubtedly, life would be different. She didn’t think they would have acted like a happy family, but she would have been closer to her father.
If the “incident” never happened, Quynh wouldn’t have watched her mother deteriorate from her heartbreak over the last decades of their lives together.
However, she wouldn’t have gotten to spend time with her aunt if not for her mother's impulsive move.And, though it was hard, she didn’t regret a single moment she had with her aunt.
Griffin pulled to a stop in his driveway. Neither of them made a move to get out. One arm rested against the back of the bench while his fingertips toyed with the edges of her hair.
She noticed how his raw energy seemed to soothe her frayed nerves. His masculine scent wrapped around her as she took a deep breath. Her scalp tingled from the gentle pulling sensation of his fingers toying with her hair.
For the first time since this morning, they were finally alone.
Griffin’s hand gripped the back of her neck as he pulled her close.
“You okay, sunshine?”
She gripped his forearm and rested her forehead against his, breathing him in.
She nodded.
Grounded. It was how she felt at this moment.
The world stopped spinning, just for a second. She could breathe again.
