Part 14

The autumn air was crisp,

the leaves were turning,

the season was changing,

my life was changing,

it was a season of renewal,

it was a season of growth,

it was a season of harvest,

I was happy,

I was genuinely,

truly,

deeply happy,

it was a quiet happiness,

it was a steady happiness,

it was a lasting happiness,

Arthur and I were planning a trip,

we were going to Europe,

we were going to Italy,

we were going to France,

we were going to see the world,

we were going to experience life,

we were going to embrace the joy,

I was excited,

I was eager,

I was impatient,

I was ready for the next adventure,

I was ready for the next chapter,

I was ready for the next journey,

Daniel was in prison,

he was serving his sentence,

he was reflecting on his choices,

he was regretting his actions,

or so the news said,

I didn't care,

I didn't think about him,

I didn't worry about him,

he was a footnote,

he was a lesson,

he was a mistake,

Marissa was in prison too,

she was serving her time,

she was facing the consequences,

she was learning the lesson,

or so the reports said,

I didn't care,

I didn't think about her,

I didn't worry about her,

she was a shadow,

she was a whisper,

she was a past,

the world was moving on,

the world was spinning,

the world was turning,

and I was moving with it,

I was evolving,

I was growing,

I was becoming,

I was more than my past,

I was more than my pain,

I was more than my trauma,

I was a woman who had defined herself,

I was a woman who had reclaimed her power,

I was a woman who had chosen her path,

I looked in the mirror,

I saw a woman who was beautiful,

I saw a woman who was wise,

I saw a woman who was whole,

I saw a woman I loved,

it was a good feeling,

it was a strong feeling,

it was a right feeling,

I went to the kitchen,

I made a cup of tea,

I sat by the window,

I watched the sunset,

it was beautiful,

it was peaceful,

it was perfect,

I took a sip of tea,

it was warm,

it was soothing,

it was comforting,

I smiled to myself,

I whispered a word of gratitude,

to the universe,

to the stars,

to the light,

I had made it,

I had survived,

I had thrived,

and I was grateful,

for the pain,

for the lesson,

for the journey,

for the life,

for the love,

for everything,

because everything had brought me here,

to this moment,

to this place,

May you like

When I Came Home From Deployment, My Wife Told the Neighbors, “His Mothe...

CHAPTER 2 – The PerformanceAt exactly seven-thirty the next morning, the smell of coffee drifted through the house.Liam stood at t...

My Husband Said He Was Saving Lives In Emergency Surgery—Then I Found Hi...

CHAPTER 2 — THE FILE THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN OPENEDJack froze so suddenly that the blonde woman nearly walked into him."What i...

After five days on the road, I walked into my kitchen and found my wife...

CHAPTER 2: The Truth Waiting Inside My Own HouseMelissa stood up so fast the bowl of apples tipped sideways, sending slices rollin...

to this peace,

and it was worth it.