Her Mistakes

ting the earth in a blanket of soft white. Lights twinkled in windows like stars scattered across velvet skies, and the melodic h

afting from the kitchen it was about family, laughter, and shared memories. For as long as she could remember, her family made it a tra

ts. But now, as the countryside sped past the car window and the familiar sights of her childhood town came into view, a sense of calm was

rs. Her little brother bounded into her arms, nearly knocking her over, an

mother said, embr

wouldn't miss

n, her father singing off-key to a Christmas tune, and her siblings chasing

the season, drawing people from neighboring towns. The dusty field had been freshly marked, stalls brimmed with pu

st friend, waving from across the field. Her curl

!" Emily squealed, pull

hed, her eyes sparklin

and catching up like no time had passed. As the sun dipped belo

say hi to Mom," she insisted.

the darkening sky. "Just for

windows, and the smell of fried plantains greeted them at the door. In

claimed, grinnin

her hands on a towel to embrace her. "Look a

a replied, slipping into the fami

orner. "Lisa, come to the living room when y

into the hallway, she nearly bumped into someo

ry" she bega

d, equally st

h caught.

nizing her instantly. "

oring town ambitious but struggling. They used to talk late at night, conversations stretching for hours about everything and nothing. She'd liked him then-his sinc

cing dorm hallways with earbuds in. He was taller than she expected, his frame more muscular, his complexion a warm golden brown that seem

le," Lisa said,

ter than she remembered. "I didn

he admitted. "You

d. "You me

, half-smiling. "I was

d. But time had passed. A lot of it. And the man standing before her now wasn't just

was beating. She hesitated, then reached for a pen in her bag. She scribbled

ir fingers brus

t, her ph

that you got home

d. Their last conversation had been brief and a

was nice meeting

very morning, asking about her day, encouraging her studies, sometimes sending gifts-nothing too flashy, just thought

over the phone. "I know what it's lik

o confident sometimes. His tone, often laced with charm, could quickly veer into ar

tomorrow," he once said, la

need to flex your billions. I'm

replied smoothly. "And

led her more: his wealth or

her. And not just in the casual, flirtatious way. He spoke of the future, of building

hip-a slow, painful unraveling that had left her wary and bruised.

But he was also inten

he front porch of Emily's house with c

waste time. I've met a lot of women, but you-there's

His eyes were sincere, but his tone

..." she

id quickly. "And I won't pretend to be perfec

ween the thrill of his words

she rea

she tr

e trust

zed. A message from an unknown number

trust. Johnson isn'

breath

who looked back at he

s in the distance, and suddenly, the holid

contin