Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN WHO RETURNED MY JOURNAL
Victoria came to Wild June on a rainy Thursday.
She looked different.
No elaborate jewelry.
No entourage.
No triumphant smile.
I was arranging white ranunculus when she entered.
I looked up.
“What do you want?”
She placed a small notebook on the counter.
My journal.
I stared.
The cover was faded.
The corners bent.
My handwriting filled the pages.
“Where did you get this?”
Victoria looked down.
“I took it in high school.”
I went still.
She continued.
“I found it in the greenhouse. I read it.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
Her eyes filled.
“Because I was jealous.”
I almost laughed.
“You had Ethan.”
“I know.”
She looked toward the window.
“But I saw the way you looked at him.”
I swallowed.
Victoria continued.
“And I was afraid he might someday look at you that way.”
For a moment, I didn't know what to say.
Then I asked:
“Did you leak the journal?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“I gave copies to someone working with my father,” she said. “I thought embarrassing you would make you leave.”
I stared.
“You hurt me.”
“I know.”
“You tried to destroy my marriage.”
“I know.”
I took the journal.
Then looked at her.
“I'm not going to pretend what you did was harmless.”
She nodded.
“I don't expect you to.”
I studied her.
For the first time, she looked like a woman who had finally run out of excuses.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
Victoria swallowed.
“Because I realized I was becoming someone I hated.”
She turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
“Claire?”
“Yes?”
“He really loves you.”
I smiled faintly.
“I know.”
After she left, I opened the journal.
On the first page, sixteen-year-old Claire had written:
Someday I hope someone loves me without needing me to become someone else.
I began crying.
May you like
Not because I was ashamed.
But because the girl who wrote those words had finally gotten her wish.
