Gritting her teeth, Louisa nodded. “Why didn’t you stop us? Why didn’t you stop me?” Her hands clenched together, her fingernails digging into her flesh. Leaning forward, her grandmother reached out a weathered hand and gently placed it upon Louisa’s clenched ones. “I know you’re hurting,” she said gently, an echo of Louisa’s pain visible in her pale eyes. “Still, you need to make your own decisions, the good and the bad. It is a life lesson, sometimes harshly taught, but always invaluable.”
