After finishing her conversation with her parents, Kimi made her way back toward her friends. The wedding reception buzzed around her, but her mind felt distant from the celebration.
"You doing okay?" Bennett asked when she approached their small group near the dance floor.
Kimi managed a nod, her gaze drifting to where her mother stood with Gamma Felix. The genuine joy radiating from her mother's face was something Kimi hadn't seen in years.
"I kept my word today, Dad," she whispered silently, her father's weathered face materializing in her memory. The familiar ache settled in her chest as images of that terrible night flashed through her mind.
"I need some air," she told her friends. "Give me a few minutes."
They nodded understandingly as Kimi stepped away from the crowd. The reception hall felt suffocating suddenly, filled with too many voices and too much laughter. She approached one of the servers carrying champagne flutes.
