~ Amara ~
I stepped into the small coffee shop on the corner near my new studio. The bell above the door jingled. Warm air and the smell of fresh coffee hit me right away. I kept my head down and walked to the counter. My hands still felt a little shaky from the bus ride this morning, but I pushed it away. This was normal life now. No one here knew me as Mrs. Moore.
I ordered a plain black coffee and found a table by the window. The seat felt hard under me. I set my bag down and pulled out my notebook. The first page still had the line from yesterday. Today I ate what I wanted. I worked on my terms. I added a new line. First coffee alone. No one watching.
The door opened again. I looked up without thinking. Elara walked in. She wore a simple jacket and jeans. Her eyes scanned the room u
