Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

That same head sent blessings her way, and the girl's gentle, serene voice seemed to carry a hint of laughter.

In Owen Reynolds' mind, an image surfaced: her, holding her phone, a slight smile on her face as she wished him a Merry Christmas.

Fireworks exploded, illuminating her smiling profile.

It must have been beautiful.

On Christmas, Roseanne was allowed to sleep in until eleven.

Sunlight crept up the windowsill, its brightness seeping through the curtains. She opened her drowsy eyes to see the shadows of tree branches, cast like dancing claws on the fabric.

Is the sun out?!

Sitting up, she yawned, walked to the window, and with a swoosh, drew the curtains back.

Sure enough, daylight glittered on the snow-capped mountains in the distance, blindingly bright.

Norris and Madge were in the yard, reading books and basking in the sun.

Norris, ever so attentive, knew Roseanne had woken up the moment he heard the window open. As a teacher, he always had a strict sense of time and disapproved of Roseanne's habit of sleeping in.

mother's doing, sleeping till this hour, meals all

these days, no regard for their health. Wait till

not

"Don't mind your old-fashioned father. There's breakfast on

Roseanne smiled, "Got it."

after breakfast, she joined the tea-drinking,

this tea?

had a light, fragrant aroma, not overpowering, with a subtle hint of date reminiscent of fine pastries, rich and

།

left us a few years back," Norris took a

only son from Maddox's family, Roseanne's

you didn't

and fruit teas over the slightly bitter,

chuckled, "People change, right? I didn't like it before, but

drinking, so she tried to

quit drinking, but she ended up falling in

Madge, sensing something, frowned

Norris a