“I wasn’t allowed.” Her voice cracked. “My aunt moved us three states away. She changed my school, my phone number… everything.” She lowered her gaze to her hands.

“But I kept the blanket.”

I remembered the loose stitch I had repaired only days before. “That’s why the pattern felt so familiar.”

Sabrina nodded. “You made it for me.” She laughed softly through her tears. “I’ve carried it with me for twenty years.”

The detective quietly stood. “I’ll give you both a moment.” The door clicked shut.

Chapter 8 — I Trusted My Mom

For a long while, neither of us spoke. At last I found my voice. “All this time…”