The meeting took place on a bright, cool Saturday afternoon at the public botanical gardens on the south side of town.

The brick walkways were lined with yellow chrysanthemums and fallen red maple leaves, rustling softly under the autumn breeze.

Daniel walked slowly along the pond path, holding Emma’s hand on his left while Helen walked quietly on his right.

Victoria was sitting alone on a curved stone bench beneath a weeping willow tree, nervously twisting a cloth handkerchief between her fingers.

When Emma saw her, the little girl stopped walking.

Daniel knelt down on the gravel path, resting his hands gently on Emma’s shoulders.

"You don't have to say anything you aren't ready to say, Emma," Daniel whispered softly. "You can turn around right now if you want to."

Emma looked at Victoria for a long, silent moment, watching the woman sit with her shoulders slumped in total defeat.

"Does her face still hurt?" Emma asked quietly.

"I think her heart hurts more than her face, sweetheart," Helen said gently, placing a loving hand on Emma’s back.

Emma took a deep breath, let go of Daniel’s fingers, and walked across the gravel path toward the stone bench.

Victoria stood up quickly, but immediately froze, keeping her hands at her sides and not daring to step closer.

Emma stopped three feet away, clutching her stuffed rabbit tightly against her jacket.

"You pulled my hair really hard," Emma said, her voice clear and steady in the open air.

Tears spilled over Victoria’s eyelashes, running down her pale cheeks.

"I know, Emma," Victoria whispered, sinking down to her knees so she was looking directly into the girl's eyes. "It was terrible, and it was wrong. I was terrified of what was going to happen, but being scared is never an excuse to hurt someone you love. I am so sorry."

Emma looked at the purple bruise fading on Victoria’s cheekbone.

"Grandma said you bought her books so she wouldn't be lonely," Emma said softly.

"I tried to take care of her, Emma," Victoria cried softly. "But I did it the wrong way. I should have told the truth from the very beginning."

Emma reached into her coat pocket, pulled out a folded sheet of drawing paper, and held it out with both hands.

It was a crayon drawing of a bluebird sitting in a green tree under a bright yellow sun.

"You can keep this in your new apartment," Emma said.

Victoria pressed the paper against her heart, sobbing quietly as she nodded.

"Thank you, Emma," she breathed. "Thank you so much."