Clara Vance
Listen to Restoring More Than Walls by Clara Vance as a bilingual audiobook with synchronized read-along text in English and Bulgarian.
The morning sun cast long, warm shadows across the overgrown garden of the quiet suburban home. Elena stood on the porch, adjusting her light cotton apron as she waited for her younger brother to arrive. It had been nearly two years since they had last spent any meaningful time together without their parents present. When Julian finally pulled into the driveway, his car was packed with tools, paint cans, and rolls of canvas drop cloths. He stepped out of the vehicle, offering a sheepish smile that instantly reminded Elena of his teenage years. I see you brought half of the hardware store with you, she joked, walking down the wooden steps to greet him. Well, someone has to make sure this house does not fall apart while Mom and Dad are away, Julian replied cheerfully. Their parents had gone on a well-deserved two-month journey, leaving the siblings in charge of updating the aging cottage. They hugged briefly, both feeling a subtle awkwardness that often accompanies time spent apart in adulthood. Elena led the way inside, where the smell of old paper and dried lavender still lingered in the hallway.