Lucy Parker

think we both know firsthand that love and family is something you’re born into if you’re lucky, but hopefully you’ll also find it along the way.

er life so far had been punctuated by periods of soul-shattering loss, but that grief had come amidst decades of warmth and love. She’d known herself the light and center of someone’s existence. No, she’d never experienced hatred.

I’ll live my entire existence knowing someone loved me that much.

In fiction, falling in love seemed to happen in soft focus, all cheerful montages of pop music and soulful glances. In reality, it was raw and confronting, powerful and passionate, shifting every goalpost.

When Dominic spoke, however—butterflies.
Or perhaps, like the pinpoint lights flitting around the walls, “fireflies” were a better description. Bright little sparks of joy, lighting up the darkness.
She’d fallen so much in love with him that it hurt.

“That sometimes you have to overcome your fears and reach out for what you really want. Because no matter what happens in the end, you’ll never regret a single moment. It’s always worth it. It’s the only thing that matters, really.”