Bittersweet Beginnings

Stella

The air is sweet and heavy with the scent of blooming flowers as the three of us step off of the helicopter. Piper, who has only seen this place in pictures, looks around with an expression of wonder in her eyes as she takes in the sunlit scene.

“Wow,” she breathes, stepping forward with a small suitcase in each hand. “This is beautiful…”

“This isn’t even half of it,” I say with a smile. “W