Cristine stood by the open window of the small coastal cottage she shared with her grandmother. The salty breeze brushed against her face, and the gentle sound of waves lapping at the shore provided a soothing rhythm to her thoughts. It had been weeks since she had heard anything about Andrei, and days since she had any news about her mother, Catalina.
Perhaps it’s better this way, Cristine thought, resting a hand on her rounded belly. At nearly nine months pregnant, her world had shrunk to the cottage, the quiet coastal town, and her unborn child. She told herself she didn’t need the chaos of the past intruding on this fragile peace. Still, the silence from everyone she once knew weighed on her, no matter how much she tried to push it aside.
Her grandmother, a kind but pragmatic woman,
