Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

"I'm from the Greenland Park Demolition Permits Office. We posted the demolition notice in the community earlier. There are still some procedures that need to be completed. You're the last one we're waiting for, so please come over right away."

This instantly made my already gloomy mood even worse.

I had known about the demolition procedures for a while, but I kept putting them off.

To me, it felt like if I didn't sign the papers, they couldn't demolish the place, and my home would still be there.

But I couldn't delay things any longer. I still had to sign the papers, and the place would be torn down.

I couldn't be the holdout who delayed the entire demolition process. I didn't want to be the one preventing others from moving into their new homes.

After all, the neighborhood was very old. Who wouldn't want to live in a new community with new houses?

"Okay, I'll come over right now," I agreed promptly.

After hanging up, I took a deep breath and drove to the Demolition Permits Office. There, I signed the papers as they had requested.

in my parents' names, I needed to provide their death and cremation certificates. Only

but I found it to

but I never canceled their registrations. In my heart, as long as our three names were together, they hadn't really

to go through the process of closing their records, erasing their traces from this

was raw and painful

the grief and sorrow, I had no choice but to do

I needed a death report from

car accident. This time, unlike the last, I didn't encounter any difficulties. But the person still asked me, "It's been so

seeming to find my reply whimsical, but didn't press the issue. He opened his laptop,

a problem? Or do

need," he replied, looking back at the screen and starting

7

of paper emerged, followed by

look," he reminded

black text, reading the report confirming death at the scene. My heart sank, a heavy