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to see me? Did she forget about me?” Nigel’s voice cracked, and it was clear he was deeply concerned.
Justin’s heart sank.
He had been avoiding Anna for so long that he hadn’t considered the impact on her grandfather, who clearly cared for her deeply.
Anna’s absence must have been felt by Nigel, and now he was reaching out to Justin for answers.
“I’m sure Anna hasn’t forgotten about you, Grandpa,” Justin said gently, trying to soothe Nigel’s worry.
“She’s just.
.
.
going through some things right now.
I’ll make sure she gets in touch with you soon.
”
“I hope so, Justin.
I’m getting old, and I don’t have much time left.
I want to see her again.
Can you promise me that?” Nigel’s voice trembled with vulnerability.
“I promise,” Justin said, though a wave of guilt washed over him.
He hadn’t been the best to Anna lately, and now, he was caught in a web of his own making.
He had promised Carrie that he’d help her, and here he was, promising to get Anna to reconnect with her grandfather.
But he wasn’t sure if he could keep those promises.
After the call, Justin sat with Carrie for a while longer, trying to comfort her as best as he could.
Her sobs had quieted down, and she clung to the teddy bear as if it were her last connection to Anna.
He couldn’t help but think about the woman who had once been so important to him, the one he had promised to protect, but now, so much had changed.
Carrie, still holding her teddy bear, looked up at Justin with tear-streaked eyes.
“Do you think Annie will come back? I miss her so much.
She was the only one who was nice to me.
”
Justin’s jaw clenched, but he forced a smile.
“I’ll do everything I can, Carrie.
I promise.
”
As he said the words, Justin knew they carried weight—both for Carrie and for himself.
He had to find a way to fix the mess he’d made, to mend the broken relationships, and to finally bring peace to the turmoil surrounding Anna, Carrie, and even his own heart.
He helped Carrie back inside, hoping that somehow, he could keep the promises he had made—though in his heart, he feared the cracks between them were too deep to heal easily.
