Chapter 22
The sun was now brighter, casting golden shadows along the cobbled village paths. Julia clutched her notebook close, her fingers brushing over the worn leather cover. Each word inside it now felt like a piece of her soul slowly being stitched back together.
She found herself walking toward the meadow—her grandma's favorite place.
The path was overgrown, wildflowers stretching across the edges. As she stepped onto the soft grass, a breeze danced around her, lifting her hair gently. Julia paused and closed her eyes.
For a moment, she heard it—her grandma's voice. Not a word, not a full memory. Just a soft hum. The lullaby she used to sing.
Julia dropped to her knees in the tall grass, tears welling up. But these tears were different. They weren't sharp and painful—they were warm, full of memory and love.
She began to hum the lullaby too. At first quietly, hesitantly… then louder, until the meadow echoed with the soft melody.
Birds chirped in harmony. The sky felt closer.
It was in that moment Julia realized: her grandmother had never truly left. She lived in the wind, in the flowers, in the songs, and most of all—in Julia's heart.