Mine For Yours

<p><em style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I didn't expect to see Rylee Creed after her brother's funeral.</em></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>That's the initial reason my jaw hangs slack when she walks into Bent Pedal a month later.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>The loss of my friend hit me hard but that's nothing compared to the crash she's endured.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Grief and misery still shadow her every move.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But she's not alone.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>A little boy about the age of my daughter clings to her side.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Their shared pain is too ripe salt in my raw wounds.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I assume we're about to make a deal and go our separate ways.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But this bar was Trevor's pride and joy.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>She wants to honor his final wishes.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>How can I possibly stand in her way?</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Simple. I don't.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Our paths collide after that point.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>The journey forward is messy and complicated much like us.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Maybe there's an exchange to be made after all.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Rylee just has to willingly accept the wager.</span></p><p><strong style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)><em>Then I'll trade her broken heart for mine.</em></strong></p>