Tear to wither away

chapter 14

New Beginnings

Anne and Theodore’s relationship blossomed openly. He introduced her to his friends at a trivia night—Greg, his best buddy, a bearded history teacher who quoted *The Princess Bride* incessantly. They explored art museums on Sundays, Theodore carrying a notebook to sketch ideas for poems inspired by Anne’s favorite paintings. Vincent, facing fatherhood with Aria, felt the weight of his choices,he hadn't have a child with Anne and couldn't with Aria yet he then wondered why younger women were always so productive at such ages. A chance encounter at a café—Anne laughing with Theodore over pastries—led to awkward apologies. “I messed up,” Vincent muttered. Anne walked away stronger, hand in Theodore’s.

Aria’s pregnancy complicated things; Vincent sought shared custody of potential assets, dragging out the divorce with lawyers and depositions. Anne leaned on Theodore, who attended court dates in a suit that made him look professorial, holding her hand under the table. Sarah organized a girls’ night—pizza, rom-coms, face masks—to lift her spirits. “You’re a badass,” she toasted with cheap champagne. Theodore proposed a joint art project, blending Anne’s paintings with his writings—a book of illustrated poems about resilience.