She raced across the parking lot, her own tears falling as she found Alice and me at the base of the stairs.
“Oh, Alice!” Amber cried, and took Alice into her arms now. The mother and daughter cried together for a while, both overwhelmed with their emotions.
Minutes later, when they finally parted, Amber and I sat on the bottom stair of the outdoor stairwell, with Alice tucked safely in the space between us.
Amber spoke first, as she wiped away her own tears.
“You didn’t have to run, Alice. Anytime you want to see Julian, you only have to ask.”
“I agree,” I said. “I will always have time for you.”
“And I would never keep you from him,” Amber said. “Even if he and I have our own disagreements, you aren’t part of them, alright? You can see Julian anytime.”
It warmed me to hear her sa
