Remember This✔

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"I've seen your drawings, you're very talented. Have you thought about art school?"

Molly shrugs. "What I want. . . is to feel like I deserve it. To stop feeling guilty that I survived and to stop relying on the pain to make me feel better. Because it doesn't, it never did, and I think. . . I think I deserve to live."

Alan studies her closely but she can't look him in the eye. She takes deep breaths and squeezes her fingers together on her lap. That's the most honest thing she's ever said and it feels so good to finally get it out.

"Yes, you do."

Molly smiles widely. "I think I'm ready."

"I think you're ready too," Alan says as he stands up.

They walk back to the reception building for the last time. As they're leaving the elevator Alan smiles at her in a way that confuses her.

"I may have lied to you before," he says. "There's just some things that I don't want to miss."

Molly turns the corner and sees her foster parents waiting in the reception area, surrounded by Molly's bags. Molly packed them this morning and she mentioned that to Alan so he must have had a nurse bring them out. Pam and Daniel's eyes light up when they see her and she freezes for a moment as she realises what's happening.

"You don't ever have to go back to that room again," Alan says in her ear. "They've signed the papers an hour early. You're free to go."

Molly is almost in tears as she looks at him. "Thank you." She wraps her arms around him, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. And then her eyes peer down to the fluffy, four-legged friend that is waiting patiently at her side. "Both of you." Molly kneels down and strokes Shiloh's fur for the last time, he rests his head into her throat when her tears get stronger. "You're gonna help someone else now. They're lucky to have you. Goodbye, boy."

Even Alan is getting emotional and his eyes are a little fuzzy as he stands still, watching her distance herself further and further. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay," Molly whimpers as she greets her foster parents.

"You ready to get out of this place?" Daniel says.

"Yeah. Let's go."

"Good luck," Alan calls.

Molly can't hide her tears as she walks towards the exit. She tastes her first breath of freedom and then she turns back around.

"Remember this," Savannah said."You're only as strong as someone else's belief in you."

Molly looks at Shiloh, who is restlessly pulling on his leash, trying to get towards her. And then she waves at Alan, the doctor that saved her life, that gave her hope, whose belief in her has made her as strong as she once was.

Pam puts her arm around Molly as they walk towards the car. The hospital fades far into the background as they drive home. Molly sees the bridge coming up but instead of closing her eyes or panicking she merely stares out of the window and fixates on the water below them.

"I'll have to go back to work soon," Daniel says. "But I can make time for a coffee."

"Okay," Molly says.

"I'll have to leave for an appointment around two but I'll be back after picking the kids up," Pam says sadly. "Maybe I should cancel it."

"No, don't cancel anything," Molly says desperately. "I'll be fine on my own, honestly. I've got a lot of school work to catch up on."

"School work," Daniel chuckles. "Back in my day that was a euphemism for. . ." He trails off when Pam glares at him and Molly laughs. "Never mind."