Chapter 11
But by the time they finally managed to carve out time to return, Grace Miller was gone.
The villagers said she had left the same day they did.
They thought she had gone to Cloud City to find them.
The bank card and phone Edward had left behind were neatly placed unde
her pillow.
That’s when he finally realized-
Grace had loved him, and never asked for anything in return.
Theo grew anxious. “Where’s Mommy? Why isn’t she here?”
Edward was momentarily stunned.
He recalled her demeanor in those final days and felt an inexplicable sense of panic.
He realized, maybe Grace is really angry this time.
But he still comforted Theo. “She’s just upset.”
“But don’t worry, she’ll be back in a few days.”
“When she does, you’d better say something sweet.”
Theo nodded seriously.
Grace had run away from home once before.
That time, Edward had been chatting with Amelia too late into the night and had fallen asleep outside in the courtyard.
Grace had cried and thrown a fit.
It was the first time Edward scolded her in a harsh tone.
“If you behave like this, what will others think of Amelia?”
Grace had gone still. That hurt more than a slap across the face.
She turned and ran, hiding out in the mountains overnight.
But not long after, she returned on her own.
Smiling sheepishly, she came up to him and said, “I was wrong. I believe there’s nothing going on between you two.”
She mumbled softly, “You didn’t even come looking for me.
He had laughed it off. “You always come back on your own.”
He assumed this time would be the same.
He left his number with the neighbors, telling them to call if Grace came back.
But the call he wanted never came.
