Samuel became the closest thing to an uncle the girls had.
And Elias?
Elias has rebuilt his cottage.
Bigger.
Mara came in one morning with the twins.
He was sitting on the porch.
None of them spoke.
Rose reached out to him.
Elias took her.
Ruth began to shake until Mara handed her too.
Both the children were sitting in his arms.
Mara smiled.
“You said you can’t tell them.”
“I lied.”
“I know.”
Quiet.
The snow melted from the roof.
The spring water flowed under the trees.
Mara looked at the new cabin.
“Two bedrooms?”
"Three."
“Three?”
“One for the girls.”
“That’s one.”
“One for the guests.”
"Two."
She raised an eyebrow.
“And the third?”
Elias looked at her.
“For you.”
The sea's smile has faded.
"Elias."
“I know.”
“What?”
“I almost believed Thomas’s lie.”
He swallowed in sec.
“And?”
“And I spent three days in the mountains trying to imagine a life where you would be my sister.”
