Kneeling for a Second Chance Novel

Chapter 80 Small towns never ran out of gossip . As Valeria walked in , someone called out , " Hey , are you looking for someone around here ? " She ignored them . The bags in her hands were heavy , and she walked straight through the narrow alley . Margaret's house was tucked deep in the neighborhood , with an old red fron gate . Valeria used a key to open it . Inside the yard , Margaret was washing clothes by hand , with two tabby cats curled up near her feet . When she looked up and saw Valeria , she froze in surprise , then wiped her hands on her apron and stood up .

" You little rascal , why didn't you say you were coming ? You just show up like this ? " Valeria walked over quickly , setting the bags down . " I bought you a washing machine , didn't I ? It's freezing out . Just use that . " " It's only a couple of shirts . It feels like a waste to use the machine . " Valeria took Margaret's hand . It was so rough that it made her chest tighten . Time had passed too fast . She could still remember being four years old . Her grandfather , Phillip Milton , was still alive . Thomas had already been married but was still decent back then .

Jennifer even smiled sometimes . Ivy , just two months older , used to run around the yard with her . They used to eat together out here - simple meals around a wooden table , the kind of ordinary , happy noise that filled a home . Valeria stayed the night . She slept in the room she'd grown up in . Margaret said , " Ivy's engagement party was a big deal the other day . She's really changed . I heard her fiancé's family is well - off . " Valeria hadn't gone and didn't want to know more . She just nodded . Margaret picked up on it right away . She didn't push .

She was getting older and knew she wouldn't be around forever . When she looked at Valeria , she was reminded of her own daughter , Valeria's mother . Her daughter , Grace Crane , had been sharper . Valeria seemed softer on the outside , but deep down , the same toughness ran through them both . " Riri , how are things going with Shane ? Is everything good between you two ? " Valeria had once told Margaret she was married just to give her peace of mind . She had been , technically . But she hadn't told Margaret the truth .

It was actually a marriage of convenience , a quick divorce , and they had each gotten something out of it . She'd helped Shane convince his dying father that he'd finally settled down . In return , he'd helped with Selena's school enrollment and even accompanied her once to meet Margaret , playing the part of a supportive husband . Valeria lowered her voice as she told Margaret that Shane had a work transfer and was now in Strico Valley in Amaran . Margaret didn't love the long - distance thing but figured a man needed to focus on his career .

She didn't question it too much - just kept asking about him on the phone . Valeria didn't want her to worry because Margaret had never had it easy . Valeria had overheard things growing up . Grace and Thomas were twins . And Grace gave birth to Valeria at 21. When Valeria turned one , Grace left . She divorced Valeria's father and walked away because she couldn't let go of an old flame . Grace hated that her parents had forced her to marry someone else . Meanwhile , Thomas had relied entirely on their parents ' savings just to get by after marriage .

When Valeria was one , it was Margaret who stepped in to raise her . Valeria remembered Jennifer screaming at Margaret , " Why don't you just die already ? " " Why don't y And Thomas , standing at Phillip's hospital bed as Phillip fought leukemia , saying , " Dad , maybe it's time to let go . We can't keep going like this . Jennifer and I are falling apart . You're dragging us all down . " Phillip hadn't died from complications . He'd taken his own life with sleeping pills . Valeria stood by the closet , listening to Margaret talk , responding only with vague answers . " He's busy with work .

We're doing fine . " She didn't want Margaret to carry more stress . Margaret always asked who Selena's father was- where he was . Valeria never had a real answer . She was ashamed to even try . That relationship had ended before it ever became something real . She reached into the closet and pulled out a quilt . Just then , something slipped out from between the folds . It was a photo . She took a look at it and realized it was a family portrait . Phillip , Margaret , Grace , and Thomas were in the picture , and it was taken when they were young .

Valeria had never seen a photo of Grace before . She only knew Grace's name - Grace Crane . She hadn't expected to find a photo at all . In it , Grace looked thin and confident . She was pretty in a bold and unapologetic way . Valeria stared at her face . Something about it was familiar . She set the quilt down , bent over , and picked the photo up carefully .