The church bells chimed softly through the cool morning air, echoing over the small parking lot where Elise stood clutching her purse. Her mother’s voice carried from the front steps, cheerful as ever, greeting the other parishioners like nothing in the world had changed.
But everything had.
Elise hadn’t been to church since before the breakup, and the familiar sight of the ivy climbing up the cream-colored walls brought a strange ache to her chest. It used to be a comfort — the smell of incense, the polished wood pews, the low hum of the choir warming up. Now, it felt like walking into a place she no longer belonged.
“Come on, honey,” Maggie said with a smile, looping her arm through Elise’s. “Your father saved us a seat.”
Elise nodded faintly, forcing a polite smile as she followed h
