Chapter 82 Awakened By The Past

• His words strike something deep inside me—sharp and a pounding ache erupts in my skull. Then—images. Fragmented and flashing like lightning.
• A little girl in a white dress, a glittering necklace resting against her chest. Tom’s laughter—my best friend—as we build a sandcastle and chase waves along the shore. The sweet scent of roses. A wooden swing beneath the old oak tree in the garden. My mother’s gentle fingers braiding my hair. My father lifting me into his arms, reading bedtime stories in a voice full of warmth and love. Early morning pancakes. Fireflies dancing in glass jars. Kisses on scraped knees.
• My name was Maya… and it fits. It always did but tom used to call me M.