Helen and I sat back on the couch, exhausted but relieved to have the packing nearly done. A small mountain of boxes and travel bags stood stacked neatly on one side of the living room.
"Thank you so much for doing this," I said, putting my hands on my hips as I looked over the pile, the upcoming trip was weighing heavily on me.
Helen waved it off, falling back dramatically onto the couch as if the effort of packing had drained her completely. “It’s all good, Ruby. That’s why I’m here. Besides, you know I can’t resist a good packing challenge.”
I chuckled and joined her, collapsing into the chair beside her with a grateful sigh. We both looked at the pile of luggage quietly for a moment, the room filled with the unspoken tension that hung between us like a thick fog.
“It’s a lot,” Helen finally said, shaking her head as she gestured toward the mountain of bags. “I mean… it’s just a week trip, right?”
“Yep,” I muttered, the worry creeping into my voice despite my best efforts to sound
