Kneeling for a Second Chance Novel

---- Chapter 227 Valeria prepared the ingredients at home. Around 11:00 am, Lindsey and Queenie arrived, bringing gifts for Selena. "Thank you, Ms. Meyer, Ms. Lurn." Valeria asked them to sit first, then went into the kitchen to prepare the side dishes. They all had lunch together. Around two in the afternoon, Lindsey received a call. Her boyfriend had come to pick her up, saying something urgent had come up. Queenie stayed a little longer but left around three. At first, Valeria didn't notice anything unusual.

It wasn't until that night, after she had showered and lay down on her bed, that she noticed that the small table not far away seemed a little out of place. Her room wasn't big. At night, when she worked, she usually sat by the window on a low stool and a small square table. She got up, opened her sketchbook, and flipped through a few pages. Then, she noticed that one of her sketches , the gown she had designed for Gabriella , was gone. It had been neatly torn out. Valeria didn't like farewells. ---- She didn't even say goodbye to Lucy.

She booked a car, an SUV marked with a moving company's logo. There were only two suitcases between the two of them. Suddenly, behind her, Selena exclaimed in delight, "Mr. Cooper!" Valeria lifted her head. Shane walked over, opening the car door for her. "T'll see you off," he said. The driver leaned out. "One more person means an extra charge." Two hours later, they arrived. Shane carried Selena, while Valeria pulled the suitcases. The hotel had already been booked. She invited Shane to join them for dinner. Shane asked about Margaret's condition.

Valeria had spoken to Margaret on the phone yesterday. Margaret was at home, and Thomas brought her meals every day. Cranary hadn't been demolished yet. There were a few households that were still dissatisfied and kept calling the government hotline. Water and electricity were still running. That afternoon, after sending Shane off, Valeria had an appointment with a real estate agent. ---- She also called Taylor. She was in this small county, too. On the phone, they agreed to meet up sometime. She had already chosen a few neighborhoods. That afternoon, everything went smoothly.

The landlords were welcoming , the appliances were complete, and the homes were well-kept. In the end, Valeria signed a six-month lease for an apartment on the eighth floor of a vintage-style apartment building with an elevator. From there, she could see two streets over, where her elementary school was. Her time in elementary school had been the happiest. Seeing the familiar school, Valeria felt a wave of daze. It was a three-bedroom apartment. Valeria tidied up, put the luggage in order, and moved in with her daughter the next day. She also brought Margaret over.

After Margaret was settled, Thomas only called once, asking a few questions and pretending to show concern. He never came to visit again. When he called Margaret, it was only to ask when the demolition compensation for the two apartments would be settled. When Margaret said there was no notice yet, his calls became even fewer. Valeria made a trip back to Cranary. The place was about to be leveled. She helped Margaret pack. ---- Margaret didn't have much. Many old clothes couldn't be 'worn anymore, yet she couldn't bear to throw them away. There were also many of Phillip's belongings.

Valeria video-called Margaret. Margaret couldn't bear to part with her husband's things, so Valeria carefully put them all into the suitcase. As for Margaret's pillow, it was too old. Valeria thought she would leave it behind. If she were to take every little thing from this old house, even ten suitcases wouldn't be enough. Valeria suggested, "Let's not take these. We have new ones at home." "Riri, there's a photo inside my pillow..." Margaret let out a sigh. "Bring that photo back for me." Valeria's fingers trembled as she folded the clothes.

Then, she set the phone down and found a pair of scissors to cut open the pillow. Inside was yellowed cotton stuffing and a seven-inch photo. It must have been taken more than 30 years ago. The picture was faded, the edges worn. Init were four people. Thomas, who was still young back then, Phillip and Margaret , who sat in the front row, and a young woman, tall and slender, her delicate features shadowed bya trace of coldness. At last, she saw her mother's face. Her eyes burned, tears ---- pricking at the corners. Valeria held the photo, her fingers trembling.