…saying she wouldn’t be able to make it. No explanation, just a brief, impersonal message. Michael read it out loud, a mix of frustration and resignation in his voice.
“She’s making her choice clear,” I said. “And so are we.”
Despite Evelyn’s absence, the picnic was a celebration of warmth and love. Friends and family who embraced Sophie filled the backyard with laughter and joy. Sophie, in her element, ran around with her cousins, her earlier pain forgotten in the embrace of those who truly cared. Her giggles echoed around us, a sound more comforting than any words.
