The weeks that followed the reopening were a study in patience.
Maya learned that healing wasn't a straight line. It was a winding path, full of twists and turns, of steps forward and steps back. Some days, Knox would wake up smiling, his eyes clear, his laughter easy, his hands reaching for her before his eyes were even fully open. He'd pull her close, bury his face in her hair, and whisper that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He'd make breakfast, burn the toast, and laugh about it. He'd kiss her like she was the only woman in the world, like she was the air he needed to breathe. On those days, the world felt bright and full of possibility, like the future was a gift waiting to be unwrapped. She'd find herself smiling for no reason, humming under her breath, feeling
