Nancy's arrival at the rehabilitation center was swift, almost unsettling in how quickly it was arranged. Since she was an orphan, there were not many procedures to follow, no complicated guardianship paperwork that could delay the decision, no family members raising objections or asking endless questions.
A few signatures from the administration, a brief evaluation of her condition, and she was brought in quietly.
Her arrival indeed caused the emotions Ash had bottled up for years to loosen, as if something inside him had finally cracked under pressure. The moment he saw her after such a long time, standing awkwardly in the hallway with uncertain eyes, something in his chest tightened painfully.
Ash, who had maintained a carefully crafted mask in front of every therapist and authority figure, cried for the first time that day. It was not forced, not rehearsed, not measured.
