My back hurt. My feet were swollen. My life was unraveling.
But something about the way she held onto that mower—like pride was the only thing keeping her upright—stopped me.
“Let me help,” I said.
She resisted at first. Of course she did. People like her don’t give up control easily.
But eventually, she let go.
And I pushed.
Every step felt heavier than the last. The heat made my vision blur, my breath shallow, my body protest in ways I couldn’t ignore. But I kept going.
Because stopping felt worse.
Because for once, helping someone else felt easier than thinking about myself.
When I finally sat down, dizzy and shaking, she handed me a glass of lemonade. Cold. Sweet. Steady.
We sat in silence for a while.
Then she asked, “Who’s in your corner, Ariel?”
And I didn’t lie.
“Nobody,” I said. “Not anymore.”
She didn’t pity me. Didn’t offer empty comfort.
She just looked at me like she understood.
“Strong doesn’t mean you have to do everything alone,” she said quietly.
