She sat herself down on the couch opposite mine and wrapped her fingers around her own mug, as if she needed its warmth, despite the room being quite comfortable now. “So….” she said at last.
“So,” I said. A deep breath, then another. “Look, I know it sounds crazy, and I wouldn’t have come here to bug you if it wasn’t really important, but — ”
“‘Bug me’?” she repeated. “Kirsten, don’t ever think that you’re bothering me. I’ve dreamed of this day — ” She broke off and shook her head. “That is, I hoped maybe one day you’d forgive me, come see me. Seeing you now, seeing what a lovely young woman you’ve become — ” Again, she stopped herself. “I suppose I never stopped to think you’d come asking questions I didn’t want to answer.”
I couldn’t think of what to say in reply, so I only hung on t
