Chapter 12 - The Girl Who Stopped Being Afraid
Tessa returned to the motorcycle she had been polishing when everything began.
For months, she had avoided riding.
I didn’t pressure her.
One Saturday morning, she rolled the CB750 outside.
“You finished it?”
“We finished it.”
She handed me a helmet.
“You’re following me.”
“No highways.”
“Dad.”
“No highways.”
She rolled her eyes.
Sarah used to do exactly that.
We rode through Cedar Ridge together.
Past the park.
Past the place where Travis had thrown the gloves.
Tessa slowed.
Then stopped.
She looked across the grass.
“You know what I remember?”
“What?”
“Being terrified.”
I waited.
“Then you handed me your watch.”
She smiled.
“And somehow I knew everything was going to be okay.”
I swallowed.
Parents rarely know whether they’re doing anything right.
Sometimes their children tell them years later.
Sometimes they tell them exactly when you need to hear it.
May you like
We rode home together.
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