She began crying again.
Then she looked toward the little blue horse.
โWhy would I have kept this for three years?โ
I considered that.
โDo your parents know you have it?โ
Kelly frowned.
โI think it came home from the hospital with my belongings.โ
She shook her head.
โI kept it in a little pouch with other things from before the accident. I didn't know whose it was.โ
The explanation was possible.
During an emergency, small objects could become mixed with personal effects, especially when several patients were transported from the same scene.
But I wasn't ready to assume that was what happened.
I needed to know.
Kelly looked toward me.
โJeffrey, I don't want Ava to think I stole her bracelet.โ
The words broke my heart.
I shook my head.
โI don't think that.โ
She swallowed.
โAnd if I really helped her?โ
I felt tears rising.
Then I answered.
โThen there's something extraordinary we never knew.โ
Kelly looked toward the stairs.
For several seconds, she was silent.
Then she whispered, โShe's such a sweet little girl.โ
I nodded.
โYes.โ
Kelly looked back.
โI think I remember somebody telling me to take care of her.โ
My chest tightened.
But I didn't ask who.
I didn't want to shape what she remembered by suggesting Hannah's voice.
Instead, I said, โLet's preserve what you know now, exactly as you've described it, and let somebody independent help us examine the rest.โ
Kelly nodded.
For a long time, we sat beneath the paper stars.
Neither touched the bracelet again.
Finally, I stood.
โWould you like some water?โ
She smiled shakily.
โYes.โ
I brought her a glass.
Then called my sister and asked whether she could take Ava for the afternoon.
I told her we had discovered something potentially important about Hannah's accident.
My sister listened.
Then said, โI'll be there.โ
She didn't ask more.
That was one of the things I loved most about her.
She knew when questions could wait.
After Ava left, Kelly and I called her parents.
Diane answered.
When Kelly explained that she'd found something connected with her accident, Diane became quiet.
Then she asked us to come over.
Tom was waiting in the living room when we arrived.
He stood immediately.
His eyes moved toward the bracelet in Kelly's hand.
And I saw something change in his face.
Not surprise.
Recognition.