A few days had gone by, and the heavy, suffocating cloud that had settled over me finally began to lift. The ache in my chest for my mom hadn't vanished—I didn't think it ever truly would—but I was tired of letting the sadness steal my days away. I wanted today to be a good day.
When Athena cautiously knocked on the living room door later that morning, a stack of color swatches tucked under her arm like a shield, I didn't hide away. Instead, I opened the door with a genuine smile, determined to try.
For the first hour, I really did try. I sat at the table with her, touching fabrics, pointing at different shades of gold and deep violet, and nodding along as she read off potential menu items. But as the binder opened wider and the questions started branching into guest-list etiquette for n
