Photo by Luigi Boccardo on Unsplash

Teresa lived in happiness, cultivated friends and fun until her father issued his ultimatum.

Straighten up, fly right, life is a serious business, he said. Walk the narrow path, focus on your goals, success lies in reaching your destination.

She complied, eliminating distractions until she sat alone, heartbroken in her hollow, golden paradise and wept for the life, she might have known.