My breath caught in my throat. That jacket—Jason’s jacket. The one he wore the day he left.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart hammering as Scout limped closer. “Where did you get this?” I whispered, reaching out with trembling hands. The fabric was stiff, stained with dirt, but unmistakable.
Emily and Benny ran over, their laughter fading as they saw the look on my face. “Mom?” Emily asked.
I knelt beside Scout, gently taking the jacket from his mouth. A wave of emotions crashed over me—grief, confusion, hope. How could this be?
Scout turned toward the forest, glancing back at me before trotting ahead.
He wanted me to follow.
I hesitated, looking toward the trees. Four years of unanswered questions, four years of learning to live without Jason… and now, this.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my phone and called my sister. “Can you watch the kids?”
As she agreed, I whispered to myself, “Jason, if you’re out there… I’m coming.”
Then, I followed Scout into the trees.
My breath caught in my throat. That jacket—Jason’s jacket. The one he wore the day he left.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart hammering as Scout limped closer. “Where did you get this?” I whispered, reaching out with trembling hands. The fabric was stiff, stained with dirt, but unmistakable.
Emily and Benny ran over, their laughter fading as they saw the look on my face. “Mom?” Emily asked.
I knelt beside Scout, gently taking the jacket from his mouth. A wave of emotions crashed over me—grief, confusion, hope. How could this be?
Scout turned toward the forest, glancing back at me before trotting ahead.
He wanted me to follow.
I hesitated, looking toward the trees. Four years of unanswered questions, four years of learning to live without Jason… and now, this.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my phone and called my sister. “Can you watch the kids?”
As she agreed, I whispered to myself, “Jason, if you’re out there… I’m coming.”
Then, I followed Scout into the trees.
