Lacy leaned her back against the trunk of the apricot tree. Throughout the day, already long and sunny as summer approached, the bark had soaked up the heat, and now it shared it willingly; it felt as if a soft shawl had been draped over her shoulders. This spot, under the generous canopy of the apricot tree, was Lacy's kingdom. She had always loved this place: just as she had in childhood, hiding in the thick shade to play with dolls; and during her school years, when she came here with textbooks and notebooks. Even now, nothing had changed—she still ...

Ethan had always felt that these corridors held only death and despair. Pushing away the sudden wave of gloom, he clenched his fists. "No, he couldn't just walk away. He was still young, in the prime of his life. Matthew had to live, despite all the medical forecasts and the hand life had dealt him." Ethan had flown back to his hometown just a few hours ago to visit his father and see his childhood friend. He had managed to carve out three days from a grueling flight schedule for the trip. Ethan lived and worked in Chicago. Immediately after ...

In preschool, this inseparable duo was known only by a single combined nickname: Callie-Maggie. That was what the teachers called the two little girls, Caroline and Margaret. The little friends had met very early on; you could say they grew up in the same sandbox. Their mothers were neighbors and close friends who had given birth in the same year and raised their children together. Consequently, from the moment they were born, the girls felt a bond as strong as if they were sisters. After preschool, the girls were placed in the same class at the same school. They sat ...

Having seen everything life could throw at a person, Mark found it hard to come reconcile with what had happened. After returning from prison, he was blindsided by the news of Sarah's death. Back there, behind bars, he had felt completely helpless, as if he were missing his very limbs. He'd had to submit to the system and pay for the mistakes he had made out of sheer stupidity. He had existed in a sort of standby mode, gathering his strength. Only one thing kept his heart warm: the chance to start a new life with Sarah. He had wanted ...

After graduating from med school, I took a job as an ambulance driver. Initially, I planned for it to be a temporary fix until a residency or a physician opening became available, but as time passed, I settled into the rhythm and found I didn't want to change a thing. The work is grueling, of course—not just physically, but emotionally. Seeing pain and suffering every day takes its toll. However, I built a real brotherhood with the crew there, and the thought of leaving them behind felt like walking away from family. I live in a small town in a ...