I'm so proud of you, and I know you'll crush everything you set out to accomplish.

It hurts how much I miss you.

I love you.

Your husband,

Sebastian

Of course the waterworks started again.

But today is a new day, and I'm determined to not cry. I force myself to not stay in bed until ten a.m. by setting my alarm for five o'clock.

When I wake, my eyes are swollen from crying myself to sleep. I give myself a pep talk and make myself get up. I shower, put on fresh clothes, and don't look at my phone. If I do, I'll see Sebastian's messages.

It's getting harder and harder not to text him back or pick up the phone when he calls. Several times, I almost went to his office. Each day I wake up and haven't, I pat myself on the back. Then the pain comes back, and the vicious cycle starts again.

I brew coffee and fill my mug. I add sugar and cream. It's the only thing I can seem to stomach these days. I know I need to eat, but I just can't seem to force myself to. Every now and then, my stomach growls, but when I try to eat food, it just makes me feel ill.

I'm about to take a sip of my coffee when the doorbell rings. My stomach flips. I quietly go to the door, expecting to see Sebastian.

I glance out the peephole, and my breath catches. My pulse increases, but it's not Sebastian.

Ruby and Evelyn stand on the other side. I freak out, and I take so long that there's a knock.

Ruby calls out, "Georgia, sweetheart. Can we barge in? We really want to see you. Please?"

Guilt fills me. I can't turn them away. After all, it's not their fault that Sebastian did what he did.

What do they know?

"Auntie Georgia!" Isabella calls out.

"Doesn't she want to see us?" Emma asks.

My heart pounds harder. Why are the girls here?

I fight the emotions lodging in my chest and reach for the lock. I unlatch the chain and open the door.

Isabella and Emma shriek, "Auntie Georgia!" They fly past the doorframe and jump up on me.

I crouch down and hug them, laughing but also crying. They hug me tighter, and I'm suddenly sobbing.

Isabella retreats, puts her hands on my cheeks, and asks, "Auntie Georgia, are you okay?"

I swipe at my tears. "Yes. I'm just so happy to see you. I missed you."

"We missed you too," she says.

"What are you doing here?" I inquire.

Emma says, "We get to go to the zoo. We're going to see lions and monkeys and bears."

Isabella claims, "And parrots! They talk!"

I laugh again and wipe my eyes. "Well, that sounds really exciting." I glance up at Evelyn and Ruby.