I cast my eyes down for a few seconds. But when I finally look up, Piper is wiping tears away. “Oh, Timofey… You didn’t fail Emily. You did everything you could for her. Absolutely everything. You have to see that.”
She shifts to her knees and crawls over me, settling on my lap. Her hands on my face are gentle. “You are enough, Timofey. You’re—You’re more than enough. But even you can’t save someone who doesn’t want to be saved.”
I try to hold her words lightly in my hands. Maybe if I’m gentle enough, they won’t shatter under the weight of my guilt.
Piper leans forward and presses her lips to my cheek. She touches her nose to mine and looks deep into my eyes. “You’re a good man, Timofey. No matter what has happened, I know you’re a good man capable of great things.”
Emily’s words all t
