“This is like therapy,” Beth said.
I smiled. “Maybe this is my next career.”
Natasha laughed. “Aquarium whisperer?”
“Look,” Beth said, gesturing around us. “You love learning. You love observing. You don’t have to listen to anyone talk about their feelings.”
“That’s tempting,” I admitted.
We stopped near a large viewing window overlooking the harbor, sunlight dancing across the water beyond.
A voice interrupted us. “Excuse me.”
We turned.
A woman stood nearby, smiling warmly. Stylish. Confident. The kind of person who looked like she belonged wherever she went.
“I just wanted to say,” she continued, “you three are stunning. Are you models?”
Beth blinked. “Oh. No.”
Natasha laughed. “Definitely not.”
The woman tilted her head. “Really? You look like you just stepped out of a magazine. New York? LA?”
I felt heat bloom in my cheeks. “Texas,” I said.
Her smile widened. “Ah. Interesting.”
She wished us a good day and walked on, leaving a strange little silence behind her.
Beth exhaled. “Well. That just happened.”
Natasha grinned at me. “See? You forget.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m not a model.”
“No,” Beth agreed. “You’re better. You’re mysterious.”
I rolled my eyes, but my heart felt oddly full.
We lingered there a while longer, watching the water, taking photos, letting the day stretch.
As we finally headed back down the escalator, sunlight still pouring in, one thought settled quietly inside me.
I didn’t know what came next.
But for the first time, I trusted that something would.
We stepped back out into the sunlight, and the warmth settled over us like a hand at the base of my spine—present but not heavy. The kind of heat that invited you to slow down, not rush for shade.
“Okay,” Beth said, stretching her arms overhead. “What’s next on our cultural enrichment tour?”
Natasha checked her phone. “You’re the one who wanted to see everything.”
I laughed. “I didn’t say everything. I just don’t want to go home feeling like we only saw the inside of bars.”
Beth smirked. “Says the woman who thrives in a good bar.”
