11

Maxine Pov

“Come with me,” she said, leading me to a small garden outside the main building. In the center was a table set with flowers, a simple but beautiful display. I became scared, I was not supposed to be here or leave my cell. Liam would kill me if he found out.

“I thought you could use a change of view,” Elena said, beaming. “We can have our meals here sometimes, away from the dreariness of the cell.”

I felt tears welling up again, but this time they were tears of gratitude. “Elena, this is wonderful. Thank you.”

She hugged me tightly. “You deserve some happiness, Maxine. Don’t ever forget that.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the garden, talking and laughing. For the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, things could get better.

Despite the challenges, I decided to keep finding joy in the little things. Whether it was a kind word from a guard, a visit from Elena, or a moment of peace in the garden, I held onto those moments tightly.

E