, Ava acted like

vorite pancakes, the

still the polite stranger.

said, her voice

she was

called a lawyer Ma

t a legal name change,"

grandmother's maiden name.

Miller, but it was a temporary holding

traceable account. Tiny jobs, logos for bakeries, flyers for yoga studios. She worked

and,

about cities for creatives, for fresh starts. Far fr

a place someone

place Olivia Car

very photo of

tten, full of promises that n

bear he'd won for

dramatic, too much of a reaction he

them into a single,

back of her closet, under

ot yet out of m

aching, pie

at their usual coffee

walk

Chloe

bright pink dress that screamed 'look at me.

econd, then gave her a small, awkward wav

Ava, a flicker of someth

latte, her express

strange,

ised. He probably exp

is Ava. This Ava

from Ethan and saunte

Ethan talks about... well, he doesn't remember

ace smooth. "Y

eat guy. I'm just trying to be there for him, you know? Support him through t

auda

y into Chloe's per

r voice even. "I'm sure

faltered for

ected Ava to be

nk of anything..." She turned and glided bac

ve, Ethan's arm now

becoming Olivia, felt nothing