There would all the time be disappointment when his brother got here to thoughts. There was no getting round that, however not less than now Ian was free from the ache and struggling inflicted on him throughout his quick life on earth.

They hugged his mother and father, then he and Rori headed for his automobile. As he sat behind the wheel, Lee exhaled deeply, staring out by means of the windshield.

Rori’s hand slid into his as she stated, “How are you feeling?”

He appeared over at her and smiled. He’d discovered that she all the time needed—wanted—him to be sincere along with her. She didn’t need him to sugar coat how he was feeling.

“Relieved,” he stated, giving a reputation to the primary emotion he might pinpoint. “You already know that I used to be a bit apprehensive about it, however I feel it went fairly effectively.”

“It went very effectively, I feel,” Rori stated. “It’s superb that every of these individuals who had been related to you again then had been so prepared to tackle a secret like they did to guard you.”

Lee nodded. “I used to be lucky.”

“It was fascinating that a few of them agreed to look on that docu-series.”

“I feel it was in all probability a great factor they did. They talked about their function within the case in such a method that nobody would ever suspect something.”

“Do you assume you’ll preserve in touch with the physician or the detective?”

“I don’t know,” he stated. “If I’m speculated to be shifting ahead, I don’t really feel like I must. Our solely level of connection is to what occurred up to now. However I’m not saying that I received’t contact them. I’ll in all probability wish to discuss to Mick if Valeria will get parole.”

“I hope that doesn’t occur. She may not have instigated what occurred to you, however she didn’t strive that can assist you and Ian, both.”

He’d talked at size with Susan about Valeria’s function in every thing. It had been arduous sufficient to grasp why a father would do what Ian had performed, however a mom? It was so arduous to understand.

“We’ll see what occurs.”

Fortunately, he had no function to play in her parole listening to since he couldn’t reveal that he nonetheless lived. Although a part of him would have favored to inform the parole board why she ought to keep in jail, he was glad he didn’t want to hold that weight. It was utterly out of his arms.

“Need to go for a stroll?” he requested. “There’s a pleasant park not too distant.”

Rori smiled. “I’d like that.”

Nerves fluttered head over heels in Lee’s abdomen as he backed the automobile out of the parking spot.

~*~

Rori hadn’t spent a lot time in Spokane, so she appeared round curiously as they drove. Like Lee, she was relieved the assembly was over. It had been a crucial a part of his journey, however she knew it had taken loads out of him.

Over the previous ten months, Lee had gotten to the place he didn’t want or wish to focus on the scenario day by day. Actually, per week might move with out them speaking about it.

Rori didn’t assume it was as a result of he thought he couldn’t speak about it. She’d made it very clear that at any time when he wanted to speak, she was there to hear. Hopefully, the assembly that day was one other step ahead for him and didn’t ship him backwards.

But when it did, she’d be there with him, similar to she’d been with him to date.

It was arduous to consider that it had virtually been a 12 months since she’d come to Serenity. Much more than that, it was arduous to consider that she and Lee had been collectively for almost that lengthy, too.

By no means in her life had she been so near somebody. By no means had she had somebody who cared for her as a lot as Lee did. Who liked her as a lot as Lee did. Who she liked as a lot as she did Lee.

And it wasn’t simply Lee. She now had shut friendships with Charli, Janessa, and Carisa, and he or she had a help system in Essie and Al. The church was additionally a giant a part of her life, and he or she liked serving to out the place she might.

“I want I’d introduced my digicam,” Rori stated as Lee drove by means of the doorway of the park. “This seems lovely.”

“We will all the time come again once more someday so you possibly can take photos.”

He did stuff like that for her on a regular basis. “I’d like that.”

After he parked the automobile, they headed off down a pathway, hand-in-hand. However then Lee got here to a cease. “I’ll be proper again. I wish to seize a bottle of water.”

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