The golden afternoon light spilled through the tall windows of Alissa’s bedroom, turning the space into a warm, inviting chaos. Notebooks, scattered photos, colorful sticky notes, and half-empty bowls of snacks covered every surface. Claire sat cross-legged on the plush rug, a notebook balanced on her knee, while Alissa lay dramatically across her massive canopy bed, legs kicking in the air as she brainstormed.
“Okay, but it has to be perfect,” Alissa said, tapping her pen against her chin. “Allen deserves something special. He’s been so patient with all the elder drama lately. I want him to feel how much I love him.”
Claire smiled, flipping through one of Alissa’s old photo albums. Pictures of a much younger Alissa and Allen filled the pages — laughing during training, sneaking snacks f
