I turned on my heel and practically ran to the kitchen, my heart pounding in my chest. Rachel met me with a knowing look. "You okay?" she asked, her voice low.
I nodded, trying to compose myself. "I can't do this," I whispered, my eyes darting to the door. Rachel grabbed my arm, her grip firm. "You can, and you will," she said, her voice filled with a fiery determination. "We all have our stories here. You're not the only one with secrets."
Her words were a balm to my soul, and I felt a newfound strength in her touch. Rachel had been through hell and back, and she was still standing. If she could do it, so could I. I took a deep breath and nodded, squaring my shoulders. "Okay," I said, my voice stronger now. "Let's do this."
The rest of the night was a blur of serving, smiling, and biti
