small windows hidden by heavy curtain

walls, yellowed with age, seemed to close in on me. A subtle hint of stale coffee lingered in

he edge of an old photo album with a cracke

erved as a window into an older time, to individuals who had changed from their previ

r. His hands were never idle, but his embrace had been

man to a shadow. Like grains of sand on a beach, the m

ther picture-th

emed to see right through everything, and a smile that brightened

dinners, the late nights, and the oppressive se

my past back together. It had been a ticking time bomb. Everything weighed heavily on my che

e with only memories and unsolved questi

a legacy of suffering and bewilderment from which I

lbum. Mom's voice echoed in my ear

by the words, the rage, the rejection, and everyt

that toxic environment all my life. I had attempted

ew longer every day, it w

weater tighter around me a

nd I felt a sense of loneliness

me. The silence, the lack of warmth, and t

e and desire, but it had never hap

k to reality, but even that brief interruption se

ould be like to go back in time and fix all of the mista

isted, and it was a burden

ry struck me like a tide. I was younger now, the girl I had b

rom behind the door as I stood

d accusing me of something I hadn't

did. No

aunt dragged me inside, pushing me to the co

cing me like a blade. "You think I'll let you ruin everything j

tears and stand my g

ane of resentment that my aunt

f unfair treatment, being shoved

l game with me; I

detail, another image emerged, c

I had once trusted with my heart. Promises, yet

ill fresh, like sal

ies and hollow promises. Like everything e

d reel of film, his face contorted with ra

ave, engulfing me in grief and bewi

er and that we were meant to be. But I had

. I tried to ignore them by squeezing my eyes shut, b

gripped the table's edges, forcing myself to take a deep bre

out, I cried

ogether. Suddenly, a strange number appeared on the phone screen, resti

eath caught in my throat. I twitched my fingers, but I didn't

silence seemed to grow thicker

ng for this call, I wasn't sure if I was p

e memories of my past. Or it might be yet another rejection, another setback that would d

humb hovered o

ressing down on me, the hurt a

old me to hide, to run, to avoid the pain, so I

ng the screen. The professional, calm, and silky voice

y in their tone, the vo

y raising my voice above

, "This is Grayso

your application. We want to offer you a job with our

into my ears, my h

hit me all at once, a

it would. I had felt invisible, ignored, and forgot

ween excitement and fea

myself once more? The longer the silence dragged on, the more

anym

steady despite the chaos wi

ponse when there was a

ing anyone else. Not right now. Not when I was so

e on the other end. "You must