DISCLAIMER:
This book contains mature subject matter and triggering topics that may not be suitable for every reader.
• • •
"What is it that I always tell you, Winona? You'll always come back to me. A bird never forgets its home."
Winona Horton ha...
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August 1997 • • •
"Momma...?"
From the ground, Winona's world was limited to the close-up view of blades of grass tickling her legs. But from this new perspective, the world seemed vast and barren, stretching out before her like an endless canvas. The summer breeze played with her pink babydoll dress, lifting it up in a graceful dance around her slender legs and arms. Her black flats, once comfortable, were now starting to pinch her toes with every step they took towards the unfamiliar house.
As she clutched the back of her mother's denim skirt, she felt even smaller, her wide eyes soaking in every detail of the new world around her. The golden fields of wheat whispered softly in the breeze, their long stalks swaying in unison. The sky above was a tapestry of blues and whites, dotted with puffy clouds that looked like giant cotton balls. The trees on the horizon were like sentinels, watching over the vast expanse of land.
As they drew closer to the house, Winona's eyes were drawn to every detail. The peeling paint on the shutters, the creaky porch swing, the red mailbox. She took it all in, wondering what secrets the house held within. And as they stepped onto the porch, Winona's heart raced with anticipation, eager to explore this new world and uncover its mysteries.
"Momma, where are we? Where's granny and grandpa?"
Her raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders in sleek, luscious waves, framing her angular face perfectly. Her high cheekbones, kissed by the sun, highlighted her pretty features, while the soft curves of her lips were set in a gentle smile, the warmth of which radiated towards Winona. "We're gonna visit a friend of mine for a few days, sugar."
Her mother had lured her away from her grandparents with the promise of visiting the amusement park, the one place Winona had been yearning to go to. But the journey had stretched on for days, and she was starting to worry that they wouldn't make it to the park if they stopped here. Despite the unknown, Winona trusted her mother completely, and she knew that wherever they were going.
"Abigail, you made it."
Winona jumped behind her mother's legs when the door opened.
"Oh, and who's this?" the man asked.
As Abigail stepped aside, a timid figure came into view, her hesitant gaze locked onto the stranger before her. Winona was struck by the stark contrast between him and her mother; he towered over her and her mother, leaving her mesmerized. His porcelain skin, a stark contrast to her own, was like the milk her grandmother poured into her cereal in the morning. And when he smiled, the corners of his lips curling up with a gentle invitation, it was as though a ray of sunshine had pierced through her cloudy thoughts.
He beckoned her closer, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners in a gesture of reassurance. The girl's heart raced as she took a tentative step forward, her mother nudging her gently from behind. She felt a flush of heat rise to her cheeks as she neared him, her eyes flickering up to meet his gaze before quickly darting away.
