Chapter9-To Take Back My Life

Katelyn's POV The cemetery was quiet, the morning sun casting long shadows over the tombstones. I stood alone, staring at my mother's name etched into the cold, gray stone. I placed the bouquet of flowers at the base of the headstone, letting my fingers linger on the petals for just a moment. "Goodbye," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I didn't stay long. The grief was there, tucked deep inside, but I wasn't about to let it show. Not anymore. After leaving the cemetery, I felt the weight of the empty house pressing down on me. I didn't want to go back there. Not to the silence, not to the memories that clung to every corner like cobwebs. So, I pulled out my phone and called Rachel. "Let's go out," I said when she picked up. "I need a drink." Rachel didn't hesitate. "Name the place. I'll be there." The bar was dimly lit, filled with the low hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses. It wasn't crowded, just enough people to make it feel alive. I slid into a booth, an