04/08/2025
While everyone else watched and laughed, she was the only one who helped the elderly woman who had fallen into the pool. “You just changed your fate,” the woman said...
The banquet hall gleamed with floral arrangements and soft lighting. Joyce adjusted her simple black dress, a small act of defiance against the pastel color scheme her mother had suggested.
“Joyce, it’s been so long,” her cousin Ingrid approached, flawless in a pale pink gown. “Your hair is... interesting.”
“Thanks,” she replied curtly, knowing it wasn’t meant as a compliment.
Soon a little circle of cousins formed, all bragging about their perfectly planned futures.
“I’m going to law school,” Tommy announced.
“Medicine for me,” Ingrid chimed in. “Dad’s already lining up the internship.”
“And you, Joyce?” Tommy asked, his tone dripping with condescension. “Still undecided?”
“I’m exploring options,” she answered vaguely.
While her cousins talked about careers, Joyce slipped away to the pool area. She settled into a lounge chair, put on her headphones, and let the loud, angsty lyrics of her favorite band drown out the world.
She didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there before the commotion pulled her back. People were laughing and pointing toward the pool. An elderly woman was in the water, fully clothed, struggling to hold onto the slippery edge. Her elegant navy dress was heavy with water, and her white hair was soaked.
“Somebody help her!” Joyce shouted, looking around. Guests nearby just watched, some snickering. A young man was filming with his phone.
“Probably took a wrong turn to the restroom,” someone remarked.
Joyce couldn’t believe it. Without hesitating, she kicked off her shoes and jumped into the pool. The cold water wrapped around her, but she swam determinedly to the woman.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” she said, slipping an arm around the woman’s shoulders.
“You,” the woman said, her voice hoarse but steady. “What’s your name?”
The question was more than just a question. It felt like a blessing. As Joyce stood there, dripping and shivering in her rebellious black dress, she realized her future wasn’t uncertain after all. She’d been waiting for the right moment to begin...⬇️
Full in the first c0mments⬇️