Gianna's world shattered and rebuilt in a single breath.
At first, disbelief crashed over her like a cold wave, her mind flipping wildly through memories of the car crash, of the funeral, of empty chairs, of the long years that had been spent mourning, even up to that very moment.
Then hope ignited, trembling fragile hope, as she imagined her mother's voice calling out to her again. The shock bled into a yearning—a raw, visceral thing that clawed at her insides.
She felt both exhilarated and terrified, as if standing at the edge of a cliff, eyes wide, heart pounding violently, unsure whether to step forward into this new reality or cling desperately to the past.
Unsure if she should allow the gratitude already sweeping through her to develop wings, gratitude tangled painfully with confusion and grief churning deep in her belly—leaving her eyes stinging with unshed tears.
