Chapter 234
I walked back to my room with the pin in my pocket, my heart lighter than it had been in years. The hallway was quiet, the house settling into the afternoon rhythm. I could hear my mother in the kitchen, the soft clatter of dishes. My father's footsteps in the garden. Normal sounds. Familiar sounds.
I closed my door and sat on the edge of my bed, pulling out the pin again. The tiny gold bird seemed to glow in the afternoon light, its wings forever open, forever flying home.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand.
I reached for it, still holding the pin in my other hand.
Dafa: Hey. How's my future wife?
I smiled, something warm spreading through my chest. I set the pin carefully on my nightstand and typed back.
Me: She's good. Really good.
Dafa: That's a relief. I was worried about you. No news about you.
