By the time Rosalynn returned to H City, Larkin and Erica had already said their farewells after a brief stay by Moonlit Lake.


    "After leaving H Country this time, I won''t being back as often," Erica said, holding Rosalynn''s hand with evident emotion. "If you ever need anything, you better let me know, Rosa. You''re a true friend to me!"


    "I will, Erica," Rosalynn replied, patting her hand. "Go and enjoy your globetrotting, and when Wayne and I are ready to retire, we''ll hit you up for some travel tips."


    "I''ll make sure to keep a good log then! Can''t have your hubby, President Silverman, finding any faults in my rmendations!" Erica dered, thumping her chest with a promise.b2


    Erica and Larkin''s flight was scheduled for early the next morning, and as they shared this final moment, Erica embraced Rosalynn tightly. "Make sure you take all the meds Larkin prescribed for you. I''ve added Laura on WhatsApp, and I''ll be checking in."


    "Got it," Rosalynn nodded, feeling a sudden wave of sentimentality.


    Erica had mentioned noting back often, and it was uncertain when they would meet again. It had been nearly a decade since they first met, and in those years, they had both been through the wringer, each emerging a little worse for wear.


    "Rosa, we''re going to live to be olddies, sitting together and gossiping like there''s no tomorrow!" Erica had said, concerned about how hard Rosalynn''s life had been. Even Larkin, after examining her, had remarked on her delicate state of health.


    "Don''t worry, we will," Rosalynn assured her.


    With a final pat on the back, Erica ended their lingering goodbye.


    The next morning, Larkin and Erica took an early flight out of H Country. Rosalynn thought this brief separation was just a prelude to a future reunion, but she didn''t realize it would be thest time she would ever see Erica.


    As December drew to a close, the holiday season brought a flurry of celebrations to H City. On Christmas Eve, a generous snowfall nketed the city, and temperatures plummeted by the evening. Rosalynn and Paige watched over little Trista as she crawled happily on her y mat. The baby had thrived, growing into a mini Michelin man with her chubby cheeks and round belly. "Erica''s living like a dream, catching the Northern Lights like that," Paige said enviously as they discussed their friend''s recent social media post.


    Paige and Baillie had nned a long honeymoon, but their daughter Trista had other ns, arriving before they could even walk down the aisle, putting their romantic getaway on hold. "Larkin''s photography skills are on point. Did you see the shots he took of Erica? They look like movie posters," Rosalynn remarked, scrolling through her phone.


    "Through the eyes of love, everyone looks good!" Paige quipped with a hint of sarcasm, then nced out at the blizzard. "I just hope Baillie can handle Ivy and little Eli on his own." "He''ll manage," Rosalynn reassured her, setting down her phone and taking a sip of the steaming herbal tea. She grimaced at the bitterness-no matter how many times she drank it, she could never get used to the taste.


    Time flew by. It had been almost four months since Wayne began his treatment. Thanks to his diligent cooperation and Penn''s expert care, his condition had greatly improved, with episodes of visual disturbances bing increasingly rare. Wayne had even started engaging in outdoor activities within the limits set by Penn, building up his strength each day.


    And the most heartening progress of all was that he no longer felt as if his legs were failing him. He had started moving around without the aid of crutches, inching closer to normalcy with each passing day.N?velDrama.Org ? content.