As Mia stepped out of the prison gates, the cool breeze hit her face like a jolting splash of freedom. David was waiting by the car, his smile still as warm as a summer morning. He wrapped her in a tight hug and kissed her passionately. When they finally broke apart, Mia couldn’t help but stare up at her husband and pure awe. He was just as handsome as he ever was, with his thick blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes.

He opened the car door for her, and she slid in, letting out a contented sigh. As they drove away, Mia’s gaze wandered, taking in the changes. The old Dollar General was now a sleek, modern building that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie. Everything felt new and unfamiliar, as if she had been dropped into a different world.

David glanced over at her, a toothy grin still plastered on his face. "You hungry?"

Mia’s stomach growled loudly. "Starving."

David’s smile grew. "What are you craving?"

"Let’s hit up McDonald’s! I’m dying for a Big Mac."

David's smile faltered. "Oh, McDonald’s isn’t there anymore. They moved it across town. Now, there’s a gas station in its place."

Mia’s eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously? A gas station? This place has changed a lot."

"Well, yeah, honey, twenty years is a long time for things to shift around," David said, chuckling.

Mia shook her head, laughing. "I guess so."

David squeezed her hand. "How does it feel to be out?"

Mia gazed at him through shining eyes. "It feels incredible, like waking up from a really long nap."

They stopped at a cozy diner. The comforting smell of bacon and coffee was a pleasant change and tfood was to die for. After 20 long years of eating artificial slop three times a day, she had almost forgotten what it was like to eat real food.

When they finally pulled up to the modest house on the edge of town, David led her up the path and opened the door. The moment it swung open, Mia was met with a burst of noise and about a dozen people shouting, "Welcome home!"

Banners and balloons decorated the space, and Mia’s heart raced. She took in the different faces – some familiar, some not — and felt a twinge of guilt, but it quickly melted away when her sister Lizzie appeared.

Lizzie rushed forward, her arms wide open. Despite the two decades apart, their hug felt like no time had passed. Tears welled up in their eyes as they held each other tight.

Lizzie pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes. "Mia, remember Emily and Ethan?"

Mia beamed at the two adults standing with Lizzie. Her niece and nephew were now taller than she was. She couldn’t believe her eyes. "How could I forget? You two were just knee-high to grasshoppers last time I saw y’all!

‘’

She embraced Emily and Ethan, marveling at how grown-up they were. David quietly slipped into the kitchen and returned with a box wrapped in hot pink paper and topped with a glittery silver bow.

He handed it to Mia with a grin. "You’ll probably need this."

Mia’s eyes widened as she unwrapped the box to reveal a brand-new iPhone 15 Pro Max. Her jaw dropped, and she looked at David, perplexed.

Laughter erupted around her. David chuckled, "Don’t worry. I’ll show you how to use it. You’ll be a pro in no time."

Mia threw her arms around David. "Good thing you’re tech-savvy. This thing looks like it could run a spaceship!"

David laughed, "I got you, babe. Now, go grab that ancient Nokia from your bag and toss it. I don’t think they even make chargers for those anymore."

Mia grinned. "I’ll keep it for the games. Snake and Memory are classics."

Emily and Ethan exchanged puzzled glances, and the room filled with laughter once more.

"When you see the games on this iPhone, you’ll forget all about Snake and Memory, I promise," David said with a wink.

Mia laughed along, feeling a deep sense of happiness. She glanced around at her home, overwhelmed by joy. The prison had been her world for twenty years, and now it felt like a bad dream she had finally woken up from. She had her husband back. Her family. Her life. And she had never felt more blessed to be alive.