Then she looked up. Her eyes were wet, but her smile was soft.
“Surprise,” she whispered.
She told me that for the past few months, she’d been fostering a little girl—a shy, quiet five-year-old who’d lost her parents in an accident, just the way we once had. She didn’t want to tell me until she knew the adoption would be approved.
“She needed a home,” Amelia said, her voice trembling. “And I thought… maybe I could give her what I gave you.”
Just then, a tiny face peeked from behind the couch, holding a teddy bear almost as big as her.
My throat tightened. My sister hadn’t broken.
She had rebuilt her heart—by giving it away again.
Note: This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.
