LINGERING SHADOWS
(A year later)
Shadow_vee
One year had passed since that day in the hospital.
Orabella's POV
The farm was still standing, and so was i.Some mornings,i could swear i still hear my father's soft laugh echoing through the fields, though the sound belonged only to memory now.Today was supposed to start like any other, but waking later than usual reminded me that life didn't always follow plans i had stayed up late last night, scribbling ideas in my worn notebook dreams, ambitions, tiny experiments for the year ahead. Writing had always been my escape, a way to speak the things I didn't dare say out loud. Fashion too in my free time I tried to make sketches it wasn't the best but doing them made me happy.
Still, some mornings, grief lingered in ways I couldn't shake i would stare at the empty chair at the kitchen table, thinking that maybe he would still be there if I looked long enough I had lived with dad for so long that I wasn't use to being alone,the farm was quiet, the air empty, and I was learning to start over this time without him.
By 8:30 a.m i was at the coffee shop, apron tied loosely around my waist business was slow, as it often was on Mondays, but the comforting smell of roasted beans and warm pastries made the quiet feel like company.
"Morning, Ora!" my manager called from behind the counter. "You're late."
I waved, smiling despite myself. "Morning. Traffic was… brutal."
He raised an eyebrow but let it go. "Just try not to make it a habit, okay?"
I nodded, slipping behind the counter to clean a few tables. Soon, Claire, my friend from high school also working in the same shop walked towards me. She had the same mischievous sparkle in her eyes and the habit of showing up exactly when I needed someone to distract me.
"Hey, stranger," she said, leaning casually against the counter. "Still dreaming about your big future?"
I chuckled. "Some dreams are worth keeping quiet."
We paused, talking about small things the slow morning, a few regulars who came in for coffee, a minor complaint about the pastries,dates she went on. Somewhere between the laughter and idle chatter I felt better. Life had taken us in different directions, but somehow we had stayed friends.
Later on during the day the quiet made its way into my lap. I grabbed my journal, hiding behind the counter while the shop remained empty. Pen in hand, I began to write:
"Plans for the rest of the year… finish at least three stories, get serious about writing, maybe even try something in fashion." Dad would have encouraged me to chase it all… and maybe even find love along the way.
I paused mid-sentence, letting the thought hang. Then I laughed softly. Who would love someone like me? The idea felt almost absurd.
Claire appeared again, leaning over my shoulder with that teasing grin. "Writing about your dream man again?" she said. "Or are we doing another heartbreak chapter this week?"
I shook my head, tucking my journal closer. "It's not like that. I'm… thinking about ideas for stories. Nothing else."
She smirked knowingly still teasing "Sure,keep telling yourself that just don't forget us little people when you're a famous novelist someday."
I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself. "Famous or not, you'll always be around."
During our short break, Claire grabbed the remote and flicked through the TV channels.
"Let's see if there's anything interesting," she said with a grin.
The local gossip segment came alive with flashing headlines: "Kuiver Empire Finally Reveals New Heir."
I glanced at the screen, half-listening as the reporter's voice lowered to a dramatic whisper.
"…and while rumours suggest he's quite the lady's man, nothing has been confirmed…"
Claire snickered. "Ooh, sounds juicy already."
My eyes were drawn to the screen just as the camera moved. A man's profile appeared briefly before he slid into a sleek black car tall, impeccably dressed, and built like he owned the world even from a side angle.
Claire nudged me, teasing. "Well? Won't you want someone like that? That would be… lovely."
I rolled my eyes, feeling my cheeks warm. "He's probably insufferable," I muttered, though my gaze lingered a little longer than I intended.
She laughed. "Sure, keep telling yourself that."
I snorted softly, shaking my head. But inside, a little spark of curiosity had ignited i pictured myself married to someone like that but suddenly brushing it off,that sort of man would definitely not pick someone like me we are obviously not in the same class,this sort of people mingled with people of the same caliber like them they always did.