Chapter 67

• The golden afternoon sun bathed the park in warm light, filtering through the trees and casting playful shadows on the ground. Ivy sat on a swing, slowly rocking back and forth, her sneakers dragging through the dirt. Her mind was far from the carefree moments of play she used to enjoy here. Lately, her thoughts had been clouded with confusion and doubt, swirling like a storm she couldn’t quite understand.
• “Hello again, Ivy,” a familiar, honey-sweet voice called out.
• Ivy looked up to see Claire walking toward her, wearing a soft smile and carrying a coffee cup. The sight of her felt oddly comforting, like a familiar character in a story Ivy hadn’t realized she’d been writing. Claire had become a fixture at the park lately, and their brief chats always left Ivy with more to think about.