Aurelia's POVThe drive home to our small apartment was a blur of neon lights, but for the first time, they didn't feel like a warning. They felt like a celebration. By the time I walked through the door, the sun was threatening to peek over the desert horizon."Is that you, Rey?" my mother’s voice called out weakly from her bedroom. "It’s me, Mom," I said, pitching my voice to be bright and steady. "Just got back from the hotel."My mother has no idea about my real job. To her, I was working the graveyard shift at a high-end hotel on the Strip, a job that paid incredibly well because "tourists are demanding at 3:00 AM." She was focusing all her strength on recovery now, finally retired from the stage. She had no idea her daughter was wearing the lace she once wore, dancing under the same golden spotlights."You must be tired honey." She said as I pulled her in an embrace. I rested my head on her shoulder, and as I listened to her steady breathing, I felt a wave of peace. These pa
Last Updated : 2026-05-13 Read more