“I’m so sorry.” Whitney felt bad for worrying Natalie. It wasn’t her intention. “I just...well, I found her.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, and it was just like you thought.” Whitney worked hard to drum up the enthusiasm she should feel in this situation. Amelia was safe and alive. She’d found her. But it felt like she’d also lost her all over again. “She was just milking it. Stretching out her time with her friend.” Sister.

A heavy exhale floated through the line. “God, she’ll probably be grounded the rest of her life, huh?”

“You know it.” Whitney forced a tight laugh. She wasn’t quite ready to come clean with Natalie. Maybe she never would be. If Natalie knew the truth, would she still want to be Whitney’s friend? Business partner? She couldn’t be sure. “So, um...you can go now. You don’t want to wait for me.”

“Right. You and Amelia probably need some alone time anyway,” Natalie said. “Well, give her a hug for me. She may be in big trouble, but I’m really glad she’s safe.”

“I will. And, Natalie?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks...for everything.”

“Of course.”

After hanging up, Whitney stared out the window, at the big houses and sprawling front yards. A couple walking along the sidewalk, a woman pushing a stroller on her run. Signs of life going on. Moving forward, even though her life seemed to be at a standstill. A purgatory. Waiting to see if Amelia would forgive her. If they could move past this.

She thought about the way Amelia moved away from her, out of her reach. The wariness in her eyes. The distrust. It was like the truth had created a chasm between them. One Whitney couldn’t cross.

But she couldn’t give up.

Red jacket.

Her daughter had thrown her a lifeline. She’d hold on to that.

And, really, it made sense. Amelia knew Whitney. Knew her heart. Knew who she was at the very core of her being. Amelia had been the only person outside of Millie who did.

When Amelia didn’t come home from Lauren’s, Whitney never even considered the possibility that it would be related to Millie and the swapped babies. She’d gotten complacent after Millie died, thinking the truth died with her. She’d never factored in Lauren.

Everything she’d done was for the two people she’d loved most in this life—her two Millies. All she ever wanted was to keep them close. She did everything in her power to do that.

She’d lost one Millie. There was no way around that.

But she wouldn’t lose the other.