The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 171

As evening approached, the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a vibrant blend of orange and gold.

Nora Dodge and Felix Hart sat shoulder-to-shoulder on a garden bench, watching a group of elderly residents sing and dance on a makeshift stage a short distance away.

The musical performance had ended in the afternoon.

The staff had originally scheduled a crew to dismantle the stage, but the seniors at the Evergreen Wellness Center hadn't had their fill of fun. They had negotiated with the administration to keep the platform up for a few more days.

Under the setting sun, a grandmother in an elegant dress sat perfectly poised in the center of the stage, cradling a traditional stringed instrument. Her fingers danced nimbly over the frets, plucking out complex melodies with effortless grace.

Two other grandmothers sang along to the lively tune.

A dozen or so grandfathers sat in the audience.

One of them, leaning heavily on a cane, stood right at the edge of the stage. He bent down, scooped up a handful of scattered flowers from the grass, and tossed them enthusiastically at the performers, making the two singing grandmothers erupt into a fit of giggles.

They had the bodies of eighty-year-olds, but the hearts of teenagers.

Felix couldn't hold back a sudden burst of laughter.

Nora shot him a mild glare. "How can you laugh at a time like this?"

"Want me to cry for you instead?" Felix teased with a grin.

Nora didn't reply.

"Don't stress over this, Nora."

"Easy for you to say."

"The damage is already done. Worrying won't change anything."

"I'm annoyed at myself."

Nora had met Valery Smith when she was ten years old.

That year, Valery was seventeen and had already been out of school for several years.

Hearing that Nora had a domineering older cousin named Bella who constantly bullied her—stealing her stationery and throwing away her textbooks—Valery had dug out all her old school supplies and given them to Nora.

During that time, Nora would go straight to Jasmine's room after school every day to do her homework.

Valery would sit quietly beside them, keeping watch.

Later, when Nora started middle school, Mr. and Mrs. Smith asked her to help tutor Nathan. Consequently, Nora saw Valery much less frequently.

Every time Valery saw Nora, she would beg her to stay.

Back then, Nora was entirely focused on her studies. She was desperately trying to claw her way out of her toxic family environment and barely had the energy to save herself.

As time went on, Nora had even started to find Valery overly clingy.

Everyone had their own lives to lead. No one could stay by someone else's side forever.

Childhood memories of trivial daily events slowly faded with time, leaving only the most profound fragments deeply branded into the heart.

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