Evelyn
I can’t understand. Nothing makes sense. I just can’t fathom something this tragic happening to her. Not in my wildest dreams could I imagine Amara being gone. It doesn’t feel real—like a nightmare I haven’t woken from.
When we got home, Thaddeus was nowhere to be seen, though I could still feel his heartbreak, his guilt. No pain I’ve ever known compares to the agony inside him. His soul is in tatters, and the weight of it presses down on all of us.
“What’s taking him so long?” Imogen asks, pacing the lounge room. Her tears seem etched into her face now, permanent signs of grief. I hold my daughter, squirming in my arms, and I can’t imagine the pain Imogen feels. I’ve only been a mother for hours and already I know—without hesitation—I’d lay down my life for her. I’d give up ever
