Chapter 71

"How did we get here, Lia? This path is unrecognizable."

"Talk about fate, Hazel."

I purposely ignored her meaning. A cottage wasn’t going to stop me from forging ahead with my decision.

I stood, berries temporarily forgotten. The crushed ones in my mouth had to be swallowed. I wanted to turn away from that path. Reroute and pretend I didn’t see it.

I wanted to pretend that the only memorable and innocent life I’d had wasn’t staring at me from a simple distance, as if daring me to ignore it and go, and to be honest, I had half a mind to do just that.

But I stood rooted, unmoving. It was as if my feet had been firmly planted and I was only allowed to move forward, not backward.

I was being cajoled by something unknown to go inside and see the home of my childhood. Bittersweet memories played kaleidoscopically in my mind, creating wistful thoughts as a lone tear escaped from the confines of my eye.

Many "how I wish" thoughts flooded my mind. H