The supermarket was just a fifteen-minute walk from home, so I decided to take the long route. The fresh air and quiet streets seemed like the perfect remedy to help me clear my muddled mind. I kept my head down as I walked, avoiding eye contact with anyone who might recognize me.
Once inside the supermarket, I focused on the task at hand, methodically grabbing everything on Mom's list. The routine of it was grounding in a strange way, a distraction from the turmoil swirling inside me. I paid for the groceries and stepped back out, shifting the bags in my hands as I resumed my walk home.
I was so lost in my thoughts-my questions, my fears-that I didn't even see the person in front of me until it was too late. I collided with them, stumbling slightly as the sound of a high-pitched, unmist
