Chapter 8: December 19 | Seen
The morning light filtered through the blinds, casting soft patterns on Anna’s ceiling. She lay in bed, her thoughts drifting like the snowflakes outside. The roses had become a part of her mornings now, their vibrant presence lingering in her mind as soon as she woke. They weren’t just flowers anymore—they were threads of connection, a lifeline pulling her from the dark waters she had been sinking into.
As she got up, her hand instinctively rested on her womb. She hadn’t told anyone about the baby yet—not her mother, not her brothers, not even Beth. The secret felt like a heavy stone she carried, a burden and a blessing she didn’t know how to share. The life inside her was so small, so quiet, yet it had begun to reshape the edges of her world. She couldn’t ignore it any longer, even if she didn’t know what to do about it.
When she opened the front door, she wasn’t surprised to see the eighth rose waiting for her. It had become a ritual now, this small moment of discovery that felt like an anchor in the chaos of her days. She picked it up, her fingers eager as she untied the note.
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