I shake my head.
“I’m out of ideas,” I say, laughing.
Luckily, it doesn’t take long before Emma straddles her toy and forgets about the question.
“This is for you,” I say, handing Sara her gift.
She takes the box, her smile vanishing.
“Is something wrong?” I ask, no longer grinning.
“No... No,” she says apologetically.
“Open it.”
She slips her fingers inside and tears the wrapping paper open. Her hand flies to her mouth.
“Oh… Are you serious?”
“Is it okay?” I ask, unable to read her reaction.
“A tablet?” she asks, filled with disbelief.
“Yes? Is it good?”
“It’s perfect. Thank you.”
She hugs me. Taken by surprise, I freeze and melt at the same time.
She pulls away, examining, curious.
“Are these from you or Jaden?”
“Him,” I say without flinching.
She shifts her gaze to Emma and then back to me.
“Thank you again,” she says, a bit conflicted.
“It was nice meeting you, Sara,” I say. “I have to go now.”
“Sure... Emma? Let's say goodbye to Senna.”
“Goodbye,” Emma mumbles, holding her little hands up in the air, and waving at me with half of her body.
I kneel and open my arms. She comes to me and hugs me. A tiny, warm body. Her skin is soft like silk, her hair smells like flowers and her eyes... Jaden’s eyes.
A feeling I’ve never experienced before pours into my heart.
She reminds me of me as I used to be, Jaden, and all the beautiful things in this world. My chin begins to tremble as tears well up in my eyes.
Reluctantly, I pull away from them.
Sara takes Emma in her arms, and both accompany me as I walk to the door. Once I step outside, I turn to her one more time and look her in the eyes.
“Please leave tonight,” I say seriously. Her eyes search mine. “He wants you to be somewhere safe.”
“Okay,” she says.