Chapter 4 — Waves of Resistance

Claire Bennett

The morning sunlight poured through the Oceanfront Inn’s small dining room windows, painting golden streaks across the wooden table where Claire sat. Her notebook lay open in front of her, filled with sketches and notes about the café, which she had spent all of yesterday working on. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the faint tang of salt carried on the breeze through the slightly cracked window. Ethan’s laughter drifted from the living area, a bright, innocent sound that lifted her heart even as her mind churned with plans and uncertainties.