Rain tapped insistently against the windowpane of Lisa's bedroom. Its rhythmic patter mirroring the melancholic atmosphere that engulfed Lisa's home that Saturday afternoon in Sommerfield. Seated at her vanity table, Lisa absentmindedly painted her nails, her mind traversing the complex corridors of her past. It had been over six months since she had last been in a relationship with someone — since Dan.

The vibrant hues on her nails held no allure today. Instead, a profound sense of loss and bitter regret washed over Lisa, threatening to engulf her fragile resolve. Desperate to reclaim her spirits, she gazed into the mirror, engaging in a one-sided conversation with herself.

"You are a young, beautiful woman," she whispered, her voice laced with a touch of longing. "There are countless other girls who would envy your very existence, and numerous of other guys who would vie for your attention. You are worthy of love and happiness."

Lisa sat up straight, her fingers tracing the strands of her hair, attempting to fashion a look that would embody the confidence she sought. But try as she might, a sense of misery clung to her, intensified by the memory of Mary's mention of Becky at the office. The mere thought of Becky threatened to unravel the fragile threads of Lisa's composure.

Her gaze shifted from her nails to the nail varnish bottle that lay on her crowded makeup table —a vivid tableau of her inner turmoil. Overwhelmed by frustration, Lisa's grip on her emotions faltered. In a surge of anger, she flung the bottle against the wall, its contents splattering in a chaotic burst of color. The crash reverberated through the room, a tangible echo of her shattered heart.

Collapsing onto her bed, Lisa's tears cascaded into her pillow, dampening the fabric with her sorrow. In the distance, thunder grumbled, an ominous accompaniment to the storm of emotions raging within her. Seeking solace, she sought refuge in her phone, scrolling through the captured memories of her time with Dan.

Photographs emerged, frozen fragments of their shared happiness, trips to the big city, far away from the sleepy rural town where they had both grown up. They wandered hand in hand through the bustling streets of the Twin Cities, their laughter blending harmoniously with the vibrant cityscape. Images of live gigs at trendy bars conjured the faint echoes of music that still reverberated within her soul. And then there were the pictures of Dan's adoration, the moments when he made her feel like a princess, his gifts and gestures of love weaving a tapestry of bliss around her.

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As Lisa's thumb hovered over the delete button, a sudden hesitation stayed her hand. An internal battle raged within her, torn between releasing the past and clinging to the fragments of joy that defined that year of bliss. She couldn't bring herself to let go just yet, unable to sever the emotional ties that still bound her to those memories.

The shattering of glass reached the ears of Lisa's mother, piercing through the walls and stirring her maternal instincts. Knocking gently on her daughter's door, she called out, concern etched in her voice. "Lisa, is everything alright?" she asked, her voice laced with gentle concern.

"I'm fine mom!" but the tremor in her voice betrayed her distress, stirring her mother's heart. Slowly, her mother pushed open the door, her gaze falling upon Lisa—fragile and broken, tears staining her cheeks.

Without hesitation, Lisa's mother approached her daughter, her footsteps tender and deliberate. She enveloped Lisa in a loving embrace, offering solace amidst the emotions. Cradled in her mother's arms, Lisa's tears continued to flow, a torrent of unspoken pain.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Lisa managed to utter between sobs, her voice choked with self-recrimination. "I'm being so stupid, crying like a baby."

Her mother gently brushed a strand of hair from Lisa's tear-streaked face, her eyes brimming with compassion.

"Oh Lisa, it's okay." she whispered, her voice a soothing balm to Lisa's wounded soul. "You're not being stupid. What you are going through is never easy and it takes time to heal. But remember this: You are a wonderful woman. Other women admire and look up to you, and there will be plenty of guys who would be lucky to have you by their side."

Lisa absorbed her mother's words. Somehow hearing the same words from her mother felt more convincing. She allowed those words to seep into the depths of her fractured spirit. For a moment, a glimmer of warmth caressed her heart, soothing the ache within. But as her thoughts returned to Dan, the wound tore open once more, and fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

Through her tears, Lisa managed to voice her deepest fear.

"Mom, Dan won't even talk to me anymore." she whimpered, her voice trembling with raw vulnerability.

Her mother's embrace tightened, a steadfast anchor in the tempest. "Sometimes, people need space to heal and find their own path. It's painful, but it doesn't diminish your worth. You deserve someone who chooses you every day, without hesitation."

As the rain continued to lash against the window, Lisa found solace in her mother's embrace. It was a solace that gave her strength, to look forward to a life without lingering on the memories of the past. Just as her mother had immediately identified her worth, Lisa too felt emboldened by the wonderful life she had built for herself by herself.

And so, in the midst of the rain, they remained locked in an embrace—a fragile yet unbreakable bond, weathering the storm together.