Echoes of My Second Wife

andered through the stone pathway, trying to steady her thoughts. She had once played here, hiding behind rose bus

ay over the esta

Sunday morning, reading novels, humming soft tunes. Ava traced a finger along the aged wood, n

a voice brok

you might b

tly. He looked older in the daylight-creased around the eyes, a

e fresh air

e since this place felt full. Having you back...

d, heart

more. "Dad... what happened to

After she passed, every corner of this house reminded

hest ti

nued. "And I couldn't move on

ve on," Ava said quietl

d slightly, ca

expect. She pulled me out of grief. Sh

. The breeze st

ion," she murmured. "Instead of finding

," he admitted, his voice low.

dn't hate you. I hated ho

t had been sitting between

ting. "But love isn't always about holding on. So

ftened, but it

ainst his shoulder. They stood there in

rs window, Elena watched them. Her hand gripped the e

, the door

arly for

That E

d cutlery. Elena had outdone herself-again. An elegant dress hugged her waist, and a ruby pin r

ho laughed too loudly and asked too few questions

d one guest, a woman with too much perfume a

. "She certainly ma

"But she's had her fair share

st sparked.

heard her first husband died in a car crash. Ter

t hu

idn't know she wa

u don't know. Elena's past is like velvet-soft on the

er plate, unaware of the b

ed across

ing a group of older men with her wit and wine. B

this woman her f

was she

had c

most dangerous thing