She got to airport in record time, and she hopped out, leaving the car running as she dashed through the automatic doors. Her head whipped like it was on a swivel as she searched the masses for the familiar face. Please don’t let her get away. That’s when she caught April riding up the escalator with that conniving smirk of hers. And she was looking right at her, taunting, daring. Deven took off towards the escalator, shoving her way through the throng of people, who grunted and moaned at the disturbance.

Deven felt the hand on her arm and nearly snatch her off her feet. She whirled around, peering into the wide face of a guard with the expression of a pit bull. “Ma’am, Ma’am!” The guard tried her best to restrain Deven’s flailing arms.

“No, stop listen to me, that woman murdered my sister and stole money,” Deven yelled thrashing wildly to point at April. She tugged but the guard’s grip was firm as she tried to pull Deven back in the opposite direction. Away from the escalators. Away from April.

“Ma’am, you can’t get through this checkpoint without a boarding pass.”

“No, you don’t understand—”

“Ma’am, we can check the flights and find the person but you’re going to have to calm down before I have you arrested.”

Deven froze at the guard’s threat, and she could only meet April’s gaze as she looked on in obvious amusement at the chaos. The guard continued, “That’s better. Now, let me escort you to the ticket counter so can find the person. What flight is she on?”

“I don’t know!” Deven wailed.

“Okay, who is she? What’s her name?”

Deven opened her mouth and could only shut it again as April reached the second-floor landing. And then, blowing her a kiss goodbye, the woman disappeared into the crowd.

Chapter Thirty-two

Chapter Thirty-two

“It’s the same bag, the same grief. Some days, you’ll be able to carry the load a little easier. Other days, you may fall under the weight. And you know what? All of that is okay.”

Dr. Felicia Bradshaw’s words played over and over in Deven’s head like a mantra. All of that is okay. All of that is okay. At the time, they had been discussing her grief for her dad and her babies. Today was for someone else entirely. It was interesting how those same reassurances had an elliptic return, almost like a hint or warning. Either way, Deven was grateful for them, especially today. She knew they would need to rely on that comfort to strengthen each other.

Deven’s heels sunk into the soil as she treaded carefully across the cemetery. It had rained earlier, so the air was still moist with the lingering remnants of dew and an earthy musk that clung to the early morning breeze.