Back at Rico’s house—soon to be just his house—Maddie began packing up the remnants of her life. Every day, she dragged bags of her belongings down to the trash. With each trip, she discarded more than just clothes and trinkets; she let go of the past, of the memories, of the part of her that had clung to what could never be.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Maddie made one final trip to the trash bin, her arms full of discarded dreams. This time, she didn’t look back.