Iva’s sobs didn’t stop all at once.
They came in waves.
Sharp at first, overwhelming, tearing through her chest like something breaking apart piece by piece, and then slowly… gradually… they softened, turning into quiet sniffles, uneven breaths, the lingering tremble of someone who had cried too much and felt too much.
She stayed in Lori’s arms the entire time.
Clinging to her.
As if she was the only solid thing left in a world that had been shifting under her feet for far too long.
Eventually, her breathing steadied.
Not completely.
But enough.
Iva pulled back slightly, her eyes red, her cheeks damp, her lashes still heavy with tears as she sniffed softly, trying to compose herself.
“I missed you so much, Lori…” she whispered, her voice hoarse, fragile, filled with a deep, achin
