They Laughed When I Left, So I Came Home the Town's Doctor novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Thanksgiving

Sanna's POV

He brought me the ring that night, in the velvet pouch, and put it in my hand without saying anything.

I sat on the edge of my mother's porch swing in the snow with the gold band in my palm.

E and L, and the word under them.

I cried, and Tuomas sat beside me and let me.

When I could speak I told him what I wanted to do.

"I'm going to put it on a chain for Helmi," I said. "When she's sixteen."

"That's a good idea."

"And Kaarina."

His shoulders tightened.

"You don't have to decide it now," he said.

"I know. I've been deciding it all day." I turned the ring over. "Once a month. In daylight. At my table, not hers. You're there, and so is my mother."

"All right," he said.

"She says Leena's name to them herself. She tells them the true version. She doesn't say stray or charity or family name, not once, and if she does, the visit is over and I don't explain."

"Sanna, that's more than fair."

"It isn't about fair." I closed my hand on the ring. "It's about their hearing her say it. And it's about my deciding what they get to hold."

← Chapter 22 · All chapters · Chapter 24 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend