sound of a box hitti

idor. A young man-mid-twenties, tall, lean, a little rough around the edges-was standing outside

en the plant tipped and spill

tated. Then

d a

eyes were honest. Unfiltered. The kind that look

h, actuall

est inside. When he turned back around, she was al

have to do t

"But it looked like y

huck

holding out a sl

enough to remind herself she wasn'

red, shaking his han

ster temporarily until he could get a job and a place of his own. Vanessa nodded, careful no

polished edge, no surface-level charm. Just openness. Dr

wherever you're

"But I'm hoping to st

rting over. That was exactly what she wa

At the corner store. One night, Vanessa returned from a long walk and fou

"Dinner of

up his fork

lau

s light, always brief-but ea

That's what mad

didn't try.

ed like rain. Across the way, Tessa's lights were on. Music played softly. She thoug

wandered to E

ted to grab coffee some

yes, without

nervous about

felt di

ttraction. But b

had walked in, carrying a potted plant and too many books

king about s

ow that Ethan was

yet know Vanes

was don

started pulli

ght of the way Ethan's laugh rumbled in his chest, how he talked about fa

felt this

rk became someone s

ye

an. This wasn't a vacation. It

s a m

new where the performance e

an sat at the small kitchen table scrollin

phone again. Lo

aid to someone. "No, he's traveling.

n fr

ister had changed. She was f

married, according to her bitter joke one night.

al in his life here so far.

ow real or tangled i

aring out at the skyline but not really seeing it. He

d think abo

ne

, almost guarded. But every so often, when she let her sar

de. Laughed, but never too loud. As if she was always p

han want t

scination. Ou

eady taken up residence in his mind like she belonged there. And every time he remem

say it was love. B

before

the middl

ared him more - that she m

she alre