LEILA
.
.
My happiness knew no bound.
Seeing her, holding her, feeling her arms around me… it was everything I had dreamed of, everything I had fought for, and her happiness, I could feel it in the fierce strength of her embrace, in the tremor of her body, it was as boundless as mine.
After a while, the first wave of overwhelming emotion subsided slightly.
I pulled back just enough to look at her, my hands still on her arms, my eyes tracing her face, seeing the changes, the lines etched by time, but also the peace Gerald’s care had clearly brought her.
“Mom,” I choked out, a shaky laugh bubbling up through my tears.
“You look… you look wonderful. Gerald really took care of you.” The gratitude for him, for bringing me here, for keeping her safe, surged through me.
I needed t
