"Anna! Help me! Anna!"

The evening was cozy, a soft golden glow from the lamp illuminating the guest apartment where Alice was supposed to be staying. But over the past two weeks, she had barely spent a night in her assigned room, choosing instead to curl up with me in my bedroom like we used to when we were younger. Those nights, full of whispered conversations and shared memories, had become a source of comfort in the midst of everything else.

Alice stretched her legs out on the plush carpet, leaning against the edge of my bed, her face framed by the soft glow. “These past two weeks have been beautiful, Anna,” she said, a smile playing on her lips. “I’m so happy for you. It feels like you’re finally starting to live again.”

I couldn’t help but smile back, even though her words stirred something bittersweet within me. The truth was, these last few weeks had been a small escape from the heaviness of my reality—filled with laughter and warmth that had been missing for far too long. Alice’s presence had remind