She passed the movie theater where she and Christopher had gone on their first date. They had sat in the back row, sneaking popcorn and whispering jokes during the previews.
Now, the theater was dark, the doors locked and a closed sign hung in the window. Evelyn lingered there for half an hour, lost in the memories, before moving on.
Her feet carried her to her father’s house, where the lights were still on despite the late hour. It was past one in the morning and yet…
The sight of the warm light stirred something in her chest—a pang of guilt, a sliver of regret. She pulled out her phone, her thumb hovering over the call button.
But then she stopped. It was late. She didn’t want to wake him.
Instead, she sent a single text message to both her parents:
[Let’s be a family next time.]
She stared at the message for a long time before hitting send.
***
The city was quiet, the streets empty, as Evelyn wandered aimlessly through the night. Snow crunched beneath her boots, her breath forming pale clouds in the frigid air.