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I lean back from Estelle, almost as if I want to escape her sharp words They weren’t said unkindly, but said so emphatically I can’t help but believe her

“What if I’h?” I ask on a whispered plea for her to tell me some truth that will

She crushes ht be bad at it at first All newto be an eh it all”

“You do know you should be trying to convince ht?” I say dryly

Tilting her head back, Estelle gives a laugh “Oh, honey… I’ you don’t already know You have everything you need to make your decision, and you don’t strike e”

“I’ a little foolish for exposing my fears

“Then what’s the problem?” she asks bluntly

So bluntly, it pierces h thin air I blurt out another worry, and then I’m immediately ashamed “Your son”

This time, Estelle does blink, but she quickly pulls a mask in place that reflects open curiosity and no condemnation She silently waits for me to explain

“He co horrible to even say that My eyes drop down to my lap

“Aha,” she says in a knowing, enlightened way “You have feelings for Bodie”

My head raises slowly, my eyes even slower, but I finally look at his s like this before My entire life I’ve only been responsible forfor ical and primal at work there But with Bodie? I’ a mother”

Estelle’s eyes grow softly luminescent, and her happiness that there’s someone who cares for her son is obvious She reaches out and takes my hand “That I can’t help you with I’ve only ever loved Geo, so I don’t know ht there since ninth grade But I can tell you that when you do find love—true love—it’s about thein the world”

“So they say,” Ithe beauty of love rather than the hard work and sacrifice God knows I’ve got enough of that facing me with a baby on the way

“Just let it be,” Estelle suggests, and it sounds like sage advice because it’s the easiest thing for ht now “Just wait and see what happens If it’s meant to be, it will be”