Kelly had spent two years mourning Jeremy in silence. There had been no funeral, no final goodbye—just an accident and a void.
Then, one night, the void spoke back.
Passing Sophia’s room, Kelly froze. Jeremy’s voice—warm, familiar—drifted through the door: “I love you forever.” Her pulse raced as she crept inside, half-expecting to see him. Instead, she found only Sophia and a teddy bear.
When she pressed the bear, Jeremy’s voice repeated. Shock gave way to realization: Gloria had done this. She’d taken his vows and tucked them into the toy, a secret gift for Sophia.
Kelly’s first instinct was anger. How could Gloria hide this? But as Jeremy’s voice filled the room, anger melted into something softer. He was still here, in a way. Not the way she wanted, but enough.
That night, she curled up with the bear, pressing it until sleep finally came. For the first time in years, the silence didn’t feel so heavy.
