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.Until I can fill this void in my soul, I’m no good for anyone.I’m so sorry, Cole.I never meant to hurt you.”Sashi’s heart was breaking as she watched him close the tiny box.“I have major obstacles to overcome.I have to forgive myself, and I have to make things right with Kendra’s parents.Until I heal, I can’t be the strong person you need.“I also need to see my parents.I miss them.It’s a huge decision for me to leave everything I’ve ever known and live in Alaska.And I don’t know that there will be children here who’ll want to take dance classes.”“There will always be room in Alaska for a dance teacher,” he said.“But it was foolish and selfish of me to ask you to marry me and live here.I’m sorry to have put pressure on you—I know better than anyone what you’re going through.Forgive me, Sashi.I’ll let you go to find the peace you deserve.”Sashi’s lower lip began to tremble.“It’s also hard for me to imagine a life without you.” She started to cry.Cole took her in his arms and held her for long minutes, then let her go.She watched a curtain fall over his face.“Can you please take me back to your parents’ home?” she asked.“Sure.Let’s go.” He blew out the candles, turned off the lights and handed Sashi her crutches, then headed to the deck above.Sashi’s tears slipped down her cheeks as she climbed the stairs with the help of the railing.I’ve done it now, she thought.I’ve truly lost any chance to be with Cole.* * *WHEN THEY RETURNED TO KETCHIKAN, Sashi found that her parents and the Knights had arrived and were staying at a hotel in town.Mary, it seemed, had called them and told them Sashi was much better, and they had all come to accompany her on her flight back to Virginia.Sashi learned that the Knights had flown to Prince of Wales Island to visit Frank Marshall and Freddy at the resort.Apparently they’d given the Marshalls hell for what had happened.Sashi asked Mrs.Knight, “Do you feel better?”“Talking to that young man will never bring my Kendra back,” Mrs.Knight said, “but it felt good to give him a piece of my mind.”Sashi decided that after what she’d done to Cole, it would be best for her to take a room at the same hotel as her parents.* * *IT WAS SASHI’S LAST NIGHT in Alaska.Doris had called and invited the group to her home for a goodbye dinner.Sashi was nervous and excited to see Cole after almost a week—a week that had been one of the worst she’d had up here.She had to find a way to get over Cole, or she was going to be miserable for the rest of her life.To her dismay, Cole wasn’t there.She shouldn’t be surprised, not after the way they’d parted.But the house was filled with well-wishers from the hospital and all of Cole’s friends.She loved seeing Doris, Doug, Sammi, Jake, CJ and Natasha, Nels and his wife, Marta.She hated having to say goodbye.She’d be eternally grateful for all their support.She’d never anticipated finding a warm surrogate family in the cold North.In a strange way, though, it hurt to look at them, knowing they all loved Cole and probably didn’t understand why she was leaving him.She only knew that it was the right thing to do.The feast on the dining room table was dazzling.Clam chowder, fresh crusty bread, shrimp, crab, rice pilaf and various salads.But Sashi found she could eat very little.Her appetite for food had disappeared.She realized she needed to talk to Kendra’s parents now, before they all flew out tomorrow.As she approached them, she could feel her heart pounding and her head starting to ache.But this was something she was not going to back down from.“Mr.and Mrs.Knight, could I talk to you privately? Just for a moment.”“Of course, darling,” Mrs.Knight replied.They followed her into a small den.The Knights sat on a small leather couch and Sashi sat in a chair facing them.Then she took a deep breath and began.“I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am for letting Kendra die—even though it was Freddy’s actions that made her run outside.I hope you know I loved her like a sister.”Walt reached over and took Sashi’s hand in his.“Sashi, we have known you since you were three and riding around on your tricycle.You brought nothing but joy to Kendra.To all of us.” He glanced at his wife, who nodded vigorously.Sashi could feel her eyes begin to tear up.“You didn’t ‘let’ her get killed,” he went on.“We heard that you threw yourself in front of a bear to save our daughter’s life.What an incredible act of bravery and.” He seemed to choke up, and he looked down at the floor and coughed.Then he brought a hand up to cover his mouth and started to cry.His wife jumped in, rubbing her husband’s back.“We have wanted to thank you for so long now.What you did took not only bravery, but love.Love for our daughter.What a wonderful friend you were.We love you very much.”The Knights both reached over and tugged her gently to come sit between them on the couch.Soon all three were hugging and crying [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]