The words hit him like a lightning bolt and dropped him to his knees. The shards of his heart exploded into a light that he had never expected. Justine came out of the kitchen and threw herself into his arms. They fell on the floor laughing and crying. Patrick held her tight and felt their tears mingle on their faces. It seemed like forever since they held each other. He sensed God holding them both. Patrick thought that He would be grinning.
"Mom brought me home," Justine whispered. "She said God told her you needed me more than she did. She said to tell you she loved you and it was all right." Patrick didn't try to talk; he just held his daughter and let her warmth melt the ice that had settled in his heart. In the far distance, he felt Yggdrasil rejoice and hold them in his branches.
