The Wedding Game That Cost Him Everything Chapter 55
On the fifth anniversary of Safe Return’s U.S. service point, all fifteen of the original group came.
Some brought partners. Some brought children.
Chloe stood in the doorway with Peace, handing each person a blue ribbon.
When I saw them, my steps faltered.
She explained at once, “They’re not for tying onto people.”
In the end, the ribbons were tied to the door handle.
Each one had the date someone came back safely written on it.
There was no price on them, and no one was trying to use money to buy away anyone’s will.
Even the few who had not wanted their rescue records made public that year came.
No one asked them why they had chosen not to come forward.
Choosing silence and choosing to testify should both belong to the person involved.
There were now many more cooperating addresses on the wall than there had been at the beginning.
Below them hung the rules passed by the three-party alliance.
Beside that was Safe Return’s own policy.
Chloe pointed at them and asked me, “Which one do you like best?”
“Ours.”
She burst out laughing.
Sierra came, too.
She no longer donated anonymously.
The name on the check was her own, not the Bellandi Family’s.
“Just so we’re clear, donating doesn’t mean I’m going to let you boss me around.”
“And just because you donate doesn’t mean you get to boss the project around.”
She arched a brow.
“No special privileges at all?”
“None.”
“Stingy.”
She complained, but still dropped the check into the general donation box.
Peace came running in from outside.
In her hand was a crumpled old piece of paper.
It was a drawing she had made as a child when she followed Chloe to one of the hearings.
A crooked little person stood on a beach beside a boat.
“Mom says I almost didn’t get the chance to draw this.”
She taped it beneath the blue ribbons.
“So I want to leave it here.”