Elira stood nearby for several minutes.
She did not need to repeat the entire experience of her first visit. She did not need to search for another discovery or expect a new realization to appear.
She had simply wanted to return.
And that was enough.
Over time, she visited several more times.
Sometimes she went alone, appreciating the quiet. On other occasions, she brought a friend who knew about the accident and understood why the place mattered to her.
The visits were not identical.
One afternoon, she spent more time looking at the plaque. On another, she paid attention to the tree’s branches and the way they moved above the fence. Once, she noticed someone leaving flowers nearby.
The flowers were simple, arranged carefully at the base of the tree.
She did not know who had brought them.
Perhaps they had been left by someone who had also been affected by the accident. Perhaps they were part of a personal tradition. Perhaps the person had visited the location for reasons she could never know.
