Chapter 117

OLIVIA As planned, I went to Bakersfield the next day to visit my grandmother. I didn’t bring my daughter with me this time, leaving her in the care of Margareth and Liam instead. Hannah had only recently had the stitches from her fractured foot removed, and although the surgery itself had gone well, she still needed time to rest. It was better for her to stay home for a while, away from travel and unnecessary strain. I arrived at my grandma’s house around two in the afternoon. It hadn’t actually been that long since I last saw her, yet the moment she came into view, I felt a familiar ache tighten in my chest. She looked thinner than before, her frame more fragile, as if time had quietly taken more from her while I wasn’t looking. I had called her ahead of time, so she was already waiting by the door when I arrived. The moment she saw me dragging a large suitcase behind me, surprise flickered across her face. I usually only stayed for a night or two whenever I visited, bringing nothing