Hushed Willows A Silent Retreat

You could stay with me.

Those simple words sent a wave of relief through the little white dame, easing a burden she hadn’t realized she carried. Perhaps solitude had made her heart more fragile than she cared to admit.

If you'll have me, I would be honored to stand by your side. Her voice, though still tinged with weariness, held a newfound warmth and calm. I have no preference for one or many. Now that I know you, at least a little, it only makes sense to me to stay.

The thought of shedding her isolation, of finally stepping out from beneath its suffocating shadow, was a fragile hope she clung to desperately, unwilling to let it slip away.