CHAPTER 42: BURNING THE BRIDGE

DAMIAN The warm rays of the morning sun caressed my face gently as I placed my phone on the deck and lowered myself onto the pool's edge, careful not to tip the plate of fruit salad in my hand as I slipped my legs into the cool water. I breathed in deeply, letting myself soak in the current tranquility and trying to channel that peace into my soul as I savored the delicious fruits. My eyes burned slightly from the lack of sleep, but I pushed the slight discomfort to the back of my mind and then tried to focus on the gentle lapping of the water against the pool's edge and the melodic chirping of birds in nearby trees. Perfection…. almost. I speared a dice of banana and calmly lifted it to my mouth, and the soft ding of my phone's notification suddenly broke through the silence. I wiped my hand on my shorts, leaving a faint smudge of fruit juice as I reached towards the deck and grabbed the phone. "Hey," Julie called out as she walked towards me. "Isn't it too early for a swim?" I