Chapter 15

The decision to return was settled quickly. Lucas began making the arrangements while Joyce sat alone in a studio, quietly studying her paintings. Each held a fragment of her past. There were happy ones, and there were painful ones. Staring at them was like staring into the mirror of her past. The girl she had once been—innocent, carefree, and brimming with hope for love—had now walked through life and death. She had lost all belief in love. Was this really the person she wanted to become? She did not know. Perhaps only when everything was over would she be able to tell if her heart could still make room for anyone else. Joyce turned to the window. Outside, Lucas was pruning the flowers she had planted. He had always kept his world in perfect order. … Under Lucas' arrangements, they were soon on a plane bound for home. From her seat, Joyce gazed at the shifting scenery outside the window, her emotions tangled and heavy. She did not know what awaited her, but she was ready. Wh