Page 254 of Beautiful Collide

Where do I work?

I stop at a small park and sit on a bench.

A group of kids play, their laughter so loud I can’t help but smile.

When was the last time I felt that carefree?

I can’t remember.

No. That’s not true.

At the farm.

At the rink.

With Hudson.

All the daysblur since Dane fired me.

Sometimes I end up at the same park. Other times, I find myself wandering through shops. I walk a lot. Never a destination in sight. Hudson doesn’t ask what I do all day, and I don’t offer. He has his own shit to worry about. Like his wrist.

But every evening, when he comes home, he looks at me like he’s trying to figure out what’s going on in my head.

“You doing okay?” His arm rests in a sling while we half-watch a TV show.

“Yeah,” I say automatically, even though it’s not entirely true.

His eyes linger on me for a moment before he nods. “If you need anything . . .”

“Thanks.”

He doesn’t push, and I’m grateful.

One afternoon, I find myself at a small bookstore. That’s where I find a book that piques my interest.

Finding Purpose After the Unexpected.

I pick it up, turning it over in my hands. The irony isn’t lost on me, but something about the title tugs at my chest.

Back at the house, I sit at the kitchen table and start to read. I don’t know what I’m expecting.

Maybe the secret to life.

A magical solution.

Heck, maybe even a roadmap, but the pages are filled with actual stories of people who almost lost hope but found their way.

One passage stands out: “Sometimes, starting over doesn’t mean finding something new. It means rediscovering what you’ve always loved.”

I stare at the words for a long time. What have I always loved?

The truth is, I don’t know.

91

Molly

Tonight,I cook dinner again.

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