Returning to my hometown unearthed vulnerabilities I'd long thought buried. This was the place where I'd wrestled with self-image, where family life sometimes felt as if the ground might slip out from under me at any moment. Each visit seemed to crack open issues I'd tried to bury through distance, and yesterday's events were a sharp reminder. I hated exposing this side of myself to Jude—or to anyone, really—yet no matter how I tried, that sinking feeling kept seeping through.
After breakfast, we went for a run. Exercise always had a way of clearing my head, giving me space from the relentless churn of thoughts. I led us to the city's main park—a sprawling landscape, impeccably groomed, with pathways winding around a large lake where swans drifted. It struck me as almost funny, being back here in a place I'd never truly felt was home, always sensing my life held something bigger than what these streets could offer. Just as I was lost in thought, Jude spoke up.
