Chapter 3: Seeds of Connection

The front door clicked shut, sealing the quiet in its wake. Anya stood for a moment, the hum of the refrigerator the only sound in the living room. Her parents, usually swift with follow-up questions, gave her space. She appreciated it, needing a moment to process the kaleidoscope of emotions swirling within her. It hadn't been an earth-shattering meeting, but it had been… genuine. And that, she realized, was a revelation.