Connor and I walked shoulder to shoulder back out to the car, the afternoon sun warming our faces. A smile spread across my face, one that felt deeper and more real than any I could remember. "I'm happy," I whispered, the words barely containing the joy bubbling up inside me.
Connor wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close in a half-hug. "I'm happy too," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Now that the court has made the adoption official, let's get some shopping done. Whatever you want for your room, it's yours."
I shook my head, studying the pavement beneath our feet. "I don't need a lot, just the basic stuff."
Connor held the passenger door open for me, his eyes crinkling at the corners with warmth. "We'll get the basics, yes," he said with a gentle firmness. "But we're also getting you a bit more." He winked at me, and in that moment, I realized that 'home' wasn't just a place – it was a feeling.
The local Target's automatic doors slid open, and I hesitated for just a moment. Connor must have noticed, because he gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Where should we start?" he asked, grabbing a red shopping cart.
"Maybe bedding?" I suggested quietly.
As we walked through the aisles, Connor didn't rush me. He stopped whenever I paused to touch something soft or admire a pattern, encouraging me to pick what spoke to me. After careful consideration, I chose a navy blue comforter set with silver stars scattered across it.
"Perfect choice," Connor said, helping me load it into the cart. "Those stars remind me of the night sky."
We moved through the store gathering essentials: a desk lamp with a USB charger, some fuzzy throw pillows, and a cork board for photos I hadn't taken yet. When we passed the electronics section, Connor insisted on getting me a small Bluetooth speaker. "Every teenager needs music," he declared, and I couldn't argue with that logic.
In the decor aisle, I found myself drawn to a string of fairy lights. "They're pretty," I murmured, not reaching for them.
"Into the cart they go," Connor said, adding them before I could protest. "Your room should feel magical. Speaking of which..." He steered us toward the art supplies, where I couldn't hide my excitement at the sight of colored pencils and sketchbooks.
By the time we reached the checkout, our cart was fuller than I'd expected, but not once had Connor made me feel guilty about it. As the cashier rang up our items, I leaned against him, whispering, "Thank you." It wasn't just for the things – it was for making me feel like I deserved them.
My eyes landed on a fuzzy blanket display, and my breath caught in my throat. On the front, a white wolf with piercing blue eyes stood proud against a backdrop of swirling snow. Goosebumps rippled across my arms as a familiar cold seemed to seep into my bones. Something about the wolf tugged at the edges of my consciousness, stirring fragments of memories just out of reach. But that was impossible, wasn't it? When would I have encountered a wolf? I clenched my fists, frustrated by the wall my amnesia had built around my past.
"We'll get that blanket too," Connor said softly, noticing my reaction.
A store employee carefully lifted the blanket from the display and handed it to Connor.
I stood frozen. The questions swirled in my mind like the painted snow around the wolf: Why couldn't I remember my past? Why did this simple image make my heart ache with such longing?
"That will be three hundred and ninety-nine dollars," the cashier announced, breaking through my thoughts.
Connor swiped his card without hesitation, then carefully loaded everything into the cart. "Come on," he said, his voice gentle but grounding. He led me toward the exit.
I walked beside him in silence, my frustration building with each step. The wolf's blue eyes seemed to follow me, carrying secrets I couldn't quite grasp.