I trust you

It felt… strange.

Familiar in a way that made her chest ache, but distant too, like trying to fit into a skin you'd long since shed. The soft hum of the office, the faint scent mixed with paper and ink, the sun slanting through the blinds in that lazy, late-afternoon way.

Her office has been vacant for a year. Untouched but not unloved.

Valerie had kept it warm for her. Valerie hugged her like a lifeline the moment she stepped through the door.

"See who we have here," Valerie whispered, arms tight around Mara's shoulders. "God, I missed you so much. And just because my brother is a grade A certified jerk doesn't mean you don't call me too, you know."

Mara managed a small, worn smile, feeling the sting of guilt. "I'm sorry, Val. It was never my intention. Life just… happened."