Free Surviving the Pain (A Baby Saved Me Series Book 1) by P. J. Belden

it back to him, to feel it for him. Though I do love him, it’s as a friend not like he loves me.” Tears blurred her vision again. “Why can’t I let Sage go?”
    There was a long silence that played after that. Jada had never met Sage. They’d become friends when she’d started working at the diner, long before she left to go work with Ember’s father. All she knew about Sage was what she’d been told by Ember and the rest of the gang that did know him.
    “Maybe, and I don’t know for sure because obviously I’m not the right person to ask, but maybe it’s because things have been left unfinished. You have so many questions. It could because of all of them that you can’t let go of him.”
    “No, you don’t understand. When I ran into him, everything was still there… maybe stronger.”
    “All I can tell you is what I would do if I were in your place. I’d get answers. Uncertainty on things always keeps those things front and center in my mind. I’m just saying hun. Not that you have to listen or that I’m right.”
    “I know,” Ember replied sadly. She was still no closer to figuring out what to do. “I know.”
    Jada stood and stretched, yawning in the process. “Well, hun, I’m sorry, but I need to get going. You are probably ready for bed yourself. We both have to be up early,” she winked.
    The girls hugged goodbye and Ember locked the house up once she was gone and started shutting lights off. It was then she saw the package on the table. Her heart started hammering in her chest. Looking back at the door, she contemplated running and getting Jada to sit with her while she opened it all. Frustrated, she shook her head and grabbed the package and carried it back to the room, shutting lights off as she went.
    Once she checked on Hudson, she walked the short distance to her room and sat in the middle of her bed staring at the box sitting there. Taking a deep breath she opened it. Inside, she found jewelry boxes, rose petals, a letter, and a card. Staring at each box, she debated on which to look at first. Deciding for the lesser of the many evils, she grabbed the card. The second she pulled the card free from the envelope, she knew who this package was from.

    The front of the card just held her captive. A daisy. A white daisy. Her favorite flower in the world. He remembered. The card looked to be custom designed for her. Swallowing hard, she opened the card and read the inside.
    Ems,
    I know you told me to leave you alone, but I can’t. I can’t forget about you. You’re on my mind every second that I’m awake, and when I sleep, you’re in my dreams. Yes, I know I screwed up big time. To be honest, I’d hoped I could come back and make up for what I messed up. However, after I saw you, I realized that it may be too late for that. Again, I’d still love the chance to explain why. Yes, I could write it all out now, but it’s not how it needs to be said. You deserve that conversation face to face.
    Ems, I love you. I’ve never stopped. The day we last saw each other was the worst day of my life. It was the day my life ended. It was… Again something that needs to be explained in person. What I can say in this is that I love you, so very much. I always will no matter what you choose to do. It doesn’t even matter to me if you’ve moved on. I’ll love you always.
    I wish I could be there to celebrate your birthday with you, but again another thing that I don’t deserve right now and maybe never will. Happy Birthday, Ems. I hope that it’s everything you dreamed it would be and more.
    Love,

    Carefully, she put everything else back in the box and shoved the whole box under her bed. Turning her light off, she climbed into bed and cried herself to sleep as she clung to his card. Maybe Jada was right. Maybe she needed the answers to move forward with her life. That was what continued to run through her mind as she finally fell asleep.

Two weeks later…
    “Mommy.” Ember barely