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her, a vision of things that she only dreamt of. The room shimmers and then
disappears, replaced instead with the sun-drenched gardens of their old family home.

Her father comes to greet them from inside the house - he is a whole and healthy
vision, a fantasy of someone they never knew, with laughter in his voice, the scent of
wind and wood on his coat instead of the familiar perfume of wine. Beside him is
mother, an amused smile on her lips, as she cups Adelina’s cheeks and kisses her.

Adelina held the vision for as long as she could. She would have held it forever, happy
to lose herself in it for the rest of her life but she releases it. It slowly fades away
around her, the sun and grass replaced with moonlight and wooden floors, her brother

and mother replaced with father, their arms still wrapped tightly each other. Neither of
them spoke.

Tomorrow, they will confess and pay for their sins. Tomorrow, they will do whatever
it takes and beg for forgiveness.

But tonight, they stay together and hold on, lost in the dark.

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