As Joy walked through the park, the soft crunch of gravel under his crutches seemed to echo the fragility of his steps. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the path. Sarah walked beside him, her gaze fixed on Joy’s face, watching every twitch, every subtle change in his expression.

For Joy, each step was a reminder of his ongoing recovery. The physical pain had mostly subsided, but the emotional scars were still raw, still throbbing with every beat of his heart. The weight of Sarah’s betrayal was something he couldn’t shake off, even if he wanted to. Yet, here they were, trying to find their way back to a semblance of normalcy.

As they walked, Joy’s attention was suddenly drawn to a young girl playing on the swings. She was laughing, her carefree giggles filling the air, as she swung higher and higher. Her laughter was infectious, and for a moment, Joy felt a strange pull toward her, an inexplicable connection that he couldn’t quite place. It was as if something deep within him stirred, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

He stopped walking, his eyes fixed on the girl. She had golden hair that caught the sunlight, making it look almost like a halo. Her innocent joy was palpable, and it tugged at something buried deep in Joy’s soul. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, even though he knew he should.

Sarah noticed Joy’s fixation on the girl. A knot tightened in her stomach as she watched him, her heart sinking with every passing second. She had been walking on eggshells around him, desperate to make things right, but this—this felt like a dagger to the heart.

“Joy,” she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. “Don’t look at her.”

Joy didn’t respond immediately. He was still watching the girl, a strange look on his face, one that Sarah hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t the look of a man who was merely captivated by a child’s playfulness. It was deeper, more profound, as if he was searching for something in that little girl that he had lost long ago.
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