I Bought My Daughter a Teddy Bear, Years After She Died, I Opened It and Heard Her Voice Again

time.

Seatbelt across his belly, like he was just another passenger.

At night, when the road stretched endlessly ahead and loneliness crept in, that lopsided bear sat beside me, quiet and steady. It sounds ridiculous, but it helped. It made the silence feel less empty.

When I came home, Emily would run out to the truck, unbuckle him, and smile like she’d continue reading …