Page 145 of Legacy
She came in, walked acrossmyfloor and opened the window.
That’s not nothing.
That’s not a mistake.
That’s asign.
That’s her.
And just like that,like a fucking miracle, the pressure in my chest eases.
The grip on my lungs loosens.
And I breathe like I might survive this.
I don’t touch the window.
I just stand there.
Letting the air fill my lungs like she gave me permission to exist again.
***
The scent of breakfast hits me before I’m fully awake.
Warm bread. Eggs. Coffee.
Something else, too. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.
Hope.
I’m not used to waking up to the scent of breakfast anymore. Not since Clara left that first week, not since Adriana began closing every door between us, both literally and metaphorically.
But this morning is different.
I get ready quickly, quietly. Like if I make too much noise, I’ll shatter the moment.
And when I walk into the kitchen—
Dio.
She’s there.
Pink dress. Long sleeves. Modest, but clinging to her like devotion.
She’s glowing. Soft and radiant, like sunlight after a funeral. The color? Onherskin?
Perfection.
Her hair’s loose, perfect waves, and shining. Her legs cross at the ankle as she turns to look at me, a plate in each hand, setting them down at the table like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Her brown eyes meet mine.
Direct. Warm.Open.
“Good morning,” she says, softly, but not shy. Like she means it.
I nearly fall apart.
