COLEEN
The next morning felt different.
I woke up feeling lighter than I had in weeks. I felt like all the inner turmoil I’d been going through had finally settled.
Like I’d been drowning and now I was comfortably treading water. I felt good about it, not in a giddy sense but more of a calm and relaxed manner.
I kept replaying the night before in my head. The way Hayden had shown up. The way he didn’t beg or demand or even try to explain things away. He just... showed up, took accountability for his actions and promised to do better. And for once, that was enough.
I was still skeptical but a tiny part of me, buried deep under the cynicism was curious about what all these meant, and also a bit hopeful.
And that terrified me more than anything.
I was halfway through walking across the
