A Bitter Reunion

Morning sunlight poured into the expansive kitchen, casting long shadows across the polished marble countertops. Della stood at the center island, a paring knife gripped tightly in her hand as she peeled a large, ripe watermelon. The rhythmic slicing sound offered a meager distraction, but it did nothing to warm the ice sitting heavy in her chest.

Her mind kept dragging her back to the pitch-bla