“Wrap it up in a gift box—it’s for someone,” Lindey told the clerk. She turned, and the moment her eyes landed on me, her voice wavered. “Rea.”

“Hi Lindey,” I said, stepping toward her.

Her eyes filled with tears almost instantly. “Rea…” That was all she managed to say. Just my name, like she had so much on her mind but couldn’t get the words out.

I studied her quietly. In just a few months, her hair had more streaks of gray, and her face looked tired, drained of life. The spark in her eyes was gone. I didn’t need to ask how she’d been. Matthew’s illness, the tension between her sons, the family crumbling—it was written all over her face.

It all seemed to unravel after I broke up with Jace. They say a peaceful family brings prosperity, and looking at her now, I finally got it.

“How have you been?” she asked after a long pause.

“I’m doing well.”

She nodded quickly, almost like she needed to convince herself. “That’s good. That’s really good.”

I didn’t ask how she was. The answer was painfully obvious.

“Are you here picking out artwork for someone?” she asked, clearly trying to fill the silence.

“It’s my grandpa’s birthday,” Lena chimed in. “Rea’s helping pick a gift for him.”

“Rea’s going to Edison’s?” Lindey’s voice cracked slightly. “That’s wonderful. Edison always liked Rea. He’s mentioned her before…” Her words trailed off as she turned away, swallowing back tears.

I hated seeing her like this. It hurt, but I didn’t know what to say. “Lindey, I’ll go make my selection now,” I said gently.

“Rea,” she called after me. Her lips moved silently before she finally spoke. “Could you… could you come visit sometime? Matthew doesn’t have much time left. He really wants to see you.”

Hearing those words—“doesn’t have much time left”—hit me harder than I expected.

“…Alright,” I said after a moment.

They say people are most honest near the end, and for all Matthew’s wrongs, it felt like fate had already caught up with him.

“Thank you,” Lindey said, her relief evident. “Let me know when you’ll come, and I’ll make gnocchi and all your favorite dishes.”

Her gratitude and excitement left me feeling heavy. I nodded. “Okay.”

At the register, Lindey tried to pay for my selection. “Let me handle it,” she insisted. “Lindey, no,” I said firmly. “It’s a gift from me. It only counts if I pay for it myself.”

She hesitated but eventually nodded, walking away, though she kept glancing back over her shoulder.

As soon as she was gone, Lena let out a long sigh. “Ugh.”

We went back to picking a gift for her grandpa. When we made our choice, a staff member approached with a couple of small boxes.

“Mini tarts,” the clerk explained with a smile.

“Oh, your store gives out treats now? Fancy,” Lena joked.

The clerk smiled but didn’t say more. I looked down at the box in my hand, then toward the door, where Lindey had disappeared into the distance.

These weren’t freebies from the store. She bought them for me because she remembered how much I loved them.

My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard to push back the emotion welling up.

As Lena and I sat eating the mini tarts, waiting for the gift to be wrapped, her phone buzzed.

It was Nate.