He Drove Her To The Exam, Left Our Daughter In The Flood Chapter 09

He Drove Her To The Exam, Left Our Daughter In The Flood Chapter 09

The door closed behind him.

The sound of footsteps in the hallway went down flight by flight, getting further and further

away, until nothing could be heard.

Hope stared at that charm on the table for a long time without moving.

I went to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. When I came back, the charm was gone from

the table.

That evening, my phone buzzed.

It was a message from Julian Hayes.

“Clara, should I take you and Hope out for dinner tonight? The dining hall saved the smoked

brisket and honey glazed ribs you both like.”

Julian was the mentor who had guided Hope through her academic competitions and was

one of her scholarship recommenders.

Because of Hope, we had gradually become close.

He was two years older than me, spoke slowly, never rushed me, and never asked about my

past.

He appeared when I needed help and stayed at a respectful distance when I didn’t-quiet and

steady.

I typed one word.

“Sure.”

In the fall, Hope officially started her classes.

I dropped her off at her dorm, helped her make the bed, and organized the linens and supplies I’d brought.

Her roommates arrived one by one-top students from all over the country, chatting excitedly as they introduced themselves.

Hope pulled an old folder from her suitcase.

The same one she had clutched so desperately in the storm.

The folder had been cleaned, but there were a few stubborn mud stains on the corners that

wouldn’t wash out. She placed it in the most prominent spot on her desk, pinning down her

orientation materials and the copy of the agreement.

“This is my lucky charm,” she said.

I asked her why.

She thought for a moment and said:

“Because that was the day I felt closest to you, Mom.”

I gradually settled into life in East Liberty.

Arthur ended up reporting the incident to the authorities.

Madison was officially disciplined by the school district for her history of bullying, and Sienna

moved away with her.

When the news reached me, I was at home organizing Hope’s seasonal clothes.

I just gave an “okay” and continued folding a sweater.

On the weekend, Julian took Hope and me out for roasted turkey.

The restaurant was small, but the turkey was crispy and tender, and Hope really enjoyed it.

While Julian was away washing his hands, she leaned in and whispered in my ear.

“Mom, Mr. Hayes is a really good man.”

I blushed and gave her a playful tap on the forehead.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

When Julian came back, he served us food as usual, pretending he hadn’t heard anything,

though his ears were a bit red.

After dinner, we walked through the campus.

St. Sterling was beautiful in the fall, the ground covered in golden leaves.

Julian walked beside me, keeping a comfortable distance.

A leaf landed on my shoulder, he reached out to catch it, then naturally tucked it into the

notebook he always carried.

I glanced at him.

He smiled at me, saying nothing.

That night, Hope was tidying up her dorm and found the Horseshoe Charm in a drawer.

She held it and looked at it for a long time.

The red string was unraveled, and the gold thread was dim.

She opened the old folder, tucked the charm into the pages of her acceptance letter, closed

the folder, and put it back on the desk.

She turned off the lights and lay in bed.

A faint sliver of light escaped the curtain and hit the ceiling.

Her phone lit up.

It was a text from an unknown number.

“Hope, is your first week going well?”

She looked at it for a few seconds.

She didn’t reply.

She locked the screen, turned over to face the wall, and closed her eyes.