That makes me smile despite everything. "Fine. Ask."
"Do you ever regret staying in Blackwater Falls? Never leaving?"
The question surprises me. "No. Why would I?"
"Because there's a whole world out there. Cities and experiences and opportunities you'll never have because you're stuck on this ranch in the middle of nowhere."
"I'm not stuck. I chose this. There's a difference."
"But don't you wonder? Don't you ever think about what else is out there?"
I lean back against the counter and consider the question seriously. "Sometimes. But then I remember why I'm here. Frank gave me something when I had nothing. This ranch, these people… They're my family. My purpose. Why would I leave that?"
"For love? For adventure? For something more?"
"This is more. At least for me." I meet her eyes. "What about you? Do you regret staying?"
Her smile fades. "Every single day."
The admission hits me harder than expected. "Then why do you?"
"Because I don't have anywhere else to go. I used to have dreams. Travel, see the world, build a life bigger than this town. But then Dad died and Mom got sick, and I stayed to take care ofher. And then she died too, and by that point..." She shrugs. "The dreams died with them, I guess. Now I'm just... here. Existing. Pouring drinks and going to shitty parties because my friends think I need to 'live a little.'"
There's so much pain in her voice. "You could still leave. Chase those dreams. It's not too late."
"Isn't it? I'm twenty-two, broke, and my only skill is mixing drinks. Not exactly recipe for world travel."
"You're also smart, determined, and braver than you think. If you wanted to leave, you'd find a way."
"Maybe I don't want to anymore. Maybe I'm too tired to want anything."
I hate that. Hate hearing the defeat in her voice. Hate that this vibrant, beautiful woman feels trapped and hopeless.
"What did you want to see?" I ask. "Back when you had those dreams?"
She looks at me like I'm crazy. "What?"
"If money and circumstances weren't an issue, what places did you want to visit?"
A small smile tugs at her lips. "You really want to know?"
"I really want to know."
She's quiet for a moment, and I can see her traveling back in time, remembering the person she used to be before grief and responsibility crushed her dreams.
"Italy," she finally says. "I wanted to see Rome and Venice and Florence. Wanted to eat real Italian food and see real Italian art and just... exist somewhere beautiful for a while."
"What else?"
"Ireland. Because Dad's family was Irish and he used to tell me stories about green hills and ancient castles and pubs where everyone knows your name." Her smile grows. "Japan. Because I loved anime as a kid and wanted to see if it was anything like the shows. Greece. Because I read too much mythology and wanted to see the Parthenon."
"Those are good dreams."
"Were good dreams. Past tense."
"Could be good dreams again. Future tense."
She shakes her head. "It's not that simple."
