Chapter 381
The rest of the family gathers around us slowly, offering soft greetings, gentle touches, and quiet words that hang in the air without expecting answers.
My eyes move past them and that’s when I spot Adrian. He stands slightly apart from the others, close enough to belong but distant enough to stay out of the center.
His gaze is fixed on Sierra. He doesn’t move toward her immediately, just watches her like he’s memorizing her.
Noah notices him too. I see it in the way his shoulders shift slightly, in the way his jaw tightens just enough for me to catch it before he schools his expression.
Soon the flight attendant informs us that it’s time to board.
There are hugs, cries and goodbyes. The twins cling to Sierra again, reluctant to let go, and it takes coaxing to separate them.
Finally, Adrian steps forward. He doesn’t say much when he reaches her, just her name, which makes Sierra look at him briefly before she looks away.
He bends down and pulls her into a gentle hug. When he steps back, Noah doesn’t say anything but I can feel the tension in the air. Can feel his restraint in the way he clenches his jaw and fists.
Noah is the last one to give her a hug and he places a soft kiss on her cheek.
I help her stand up, one hand on her arm as we begin to move toward the jet. We’re almost there when she stops.
It’s so slight that I almost miss it, but her hand tightens just a fraction in mine.
“Sierra?” I call softly.
She doesn’t look at me. Instead, she turns her head slowly, her eyes finding Noah and then she speaks one word.
“Valarie p>
The name falls from her lips softly, but it lands with weight and for a moment, no one moves, no one speaks.
“What?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Her gaze doesn’t leave Noah and Noah stands watching her like he’s in a trance.
“That’s her name,” she says softly.
The silence deepens, stretching as the meaning settles in. Something inside me blossoms as it finally sinks in that Sierra chose a name for her daughter.
Aunt Ivy’s breath catches beside me and Noah just stands there like the ground beneath him just shifted. The twins scream in excitement that finally their sister has a name and then one by one, small smiles begin to form, both out of happiness and hope.
It’s the first time in days that it feels like something real has broken through the emptiness.
“Valarie…” I repeat under my breath.
I squeeze her hand gently. The name fits and it feels right for my little niece/goddaughter.
“It’s beautiful,” Noah whispers and I swear I can see tears reflecting in his grey eyes.
Sierra doesn’t respond; instead, she turns towards the jet and Aunt Ivy helps her in.
“Lilly p>
I turn at the sound of my name to find my mom standing a few steps away. She gestures for me to come closer, her expression soft but serious.
“I’ll be right back,” I murmur to Aunt Ivy before walking over.
“We need to talk when you come back,” she says quietly.
“About what?” I ask.
Her eyes flick briefly toward the jet before she looks back at me, offering a small smile. “We’ll talk then p>
There’s something in her tone that tells me not to push, so I nod. “Okay p>
I step back just as the flight attendant calls again. I get in and she closes the door behind me.
Sierra and Aunt Ivy are already settled in and after making sure that they’re both comfortable, I take my seat.
The engines start and just like that, we’re moving.
I lean back in my seat as the jet begins to lift, my eyes drifting to the window. The ground and everything below us starts to shrink.
I glance at Sierra. She’s quiet again, her gaze distant, her expression unreadable but she named her daughter; that has to mean something.
I let out a slow breath as I rest my head. I don’t know what’s going to happen next; all I hope is that when we come back, Sierra will be back to her old self.