A deep, unsettling silence followed Anna's soft words, "You don't have to carry it alone."
For a long moment, the alley seemed frozen in time, the air still heavy with the aftermath of the woman's sobbing. Anna could almost feel the woman's breathing slowing down, becoming more even, as though the storm of emotions inside her was starting to settle, at least momentarily.
In the quiet of that dark space, Anna remained patient, waiting for the woman to decide what, if anything, she wanted to say next. She didn't press her, didn't rush her—she simply let her presence be known, offering an unspoken promise of understanding and compassion.
