neighbor and potential friend.
The creative pursuits I’d long deferred, but had recently begun exploring again.
As darkness settled over the water and stars emerged in the clearing sky, I felt no regret for the family bonds that had fractured.
Only appreciation for the self I was reclaiming in their absence.
Whatever Amber chose to do with the knowledge I’d provided—whether it prompted growth or denial, contact or continued silence—her journey belonged to her now.
Mine stretched before me like the star-reflected waters of the Intracoastal Waterway, reflecting both past
