Clayton,” she said softly, her voice threaded with tears, “when Vanessa asked about my accomplishments tonight, I forgot to mention that I do have one. And it’s–it’s so splendid that it compensates for my lack of all the others.” Stephen and Clayton grinned at each other, neither of them hearing the emotion that clogged her voice. “What splendid accomplishments is that, little one?” Clayton asked. Her shoulders hunched forward and began to shake. “I made you love me,” she whispered brokenly. “Somehow, some way, I actually made you love me.
