{"id":92,"date":"2025-12-02T14:44:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T14:44:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/?p=92"},"modified":"2025-12-02T14:44:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T14:44:16","slug":"everything-seemed-perfect-after-the-move-until-a-note-inside-my-neighbors-welcome-pie-turned-my-blood-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/?p=92","title":{"rendered":"Everything Seemed Perfect After the Move Until a Note Inside My Neighbor\u2019s \u2018Welcome Pie\u2019 Turned My Blood Cold"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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I moved to a peaceful suburb to start over, but when I cut into my neighbor\u2019s welcome pie and found a hidden note inside, I knew the past I\u2019d been running from had finally caught up with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When the movers finally drove off and the street fell silent, I stood at the top of the driveway, breathing in the stillness. Fifty-eight. Divorced. Starting over. Again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time, I promised myself not to repeat old mistakes. A new chapter had officially begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I glanced at the narrow parking strip between my house and the one next door. The realtor had said it was mine. So I maneuvered my car forward, straightened the wheels, and parked right there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cHello there!\u201d a cheerful voice called out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I turned. A woman in lemon-yellow flats was leaning casually against the fence, holding a watering can. She looked like someone who never left the house without lip gloss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cNew neighbor?\u201d she asked, smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGuilty,\u201d I said. \u201cAlicia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJocelyn,\u201d she replied, setting the watering can down and walking closer. \u201cWelcome to the neighborhood. You\u2019ll love it here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI hope so. I need a fresh start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, you\u2019ve picked the perfect place. We have block brunches on Saturdays, and everyone helps everyone. It\u2019s very\u2026 harmonious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I smiled politely, unsure how harmonious I wanted my life to be. Jocelyn’s gaze drifted past me, straight to my car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOh! I see you\u2019ve parked there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. It\u2019s convenient. Close to the door.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOf course. It\u2019s just\u2026 well, I usually park there. Been doing it for years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI was told it came with my property.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always parked there \u2014 it\u2019s just easier with groceries and all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut you already have a driveway,\u201d I said calmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do. But the sun hits this one differently. Keeps the leather from cracking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen maybe it\u2019s time to invest in better leather.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a tiny pause, and then Jocelyn laughed. \u201cYou\u2019re funny. I like that. Of course, it\u2019s your spot. Anyway, I\u2019ll drop by tomorrow with a little housewarming gift. It\u2019s a thing we do here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSounds nice.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn gave a small wave and turned toward her garden. I watched her walk away, the smile never leaving her face until she was out of sight. My own faded as soon as she was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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I glanced at my car, perfectly parked where it was supposed to be, and felt an old, familiar instinct stir.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boundaries. Test them early, people said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as I turned toward the house, I couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that this was only the first line I\u2019d have to defend. That Jocelyn had no intention of stopping there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following morning, I woke up earlier than usual. By ten, I\u2019d unpacked a few more boxes and brewed my fourth cup of coffee. That was the kind of morning I had dreamed about during the long, bitter months of the divorce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet my stomach felt tight, as if I was waiting for something. Right on cue, a soft knock rattled the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I opened it, there she was \u2014 Jocelyn, radiant in a pale pink dress, holding a pie dish with a perfectly latticed crust. The smell of cinnamon and pumpkin drifted toward me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cGood morning, neighbor! I promised you a proper welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 very kind of you,\u201d I said, taking the warm pie carefully. \u201cYou didn\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNonsense! We take hospitality seriously on this street.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cMust be nice. Would you like to come in for coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I wish I could. I have a Zoom call in ten minutes. But please, do cut into it while it\u2019s still warm. There\u2019s something special inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSpecial?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cJust a little note from your new friend. Enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And with that, Jocelyn turned and glided down my porch steps. I closed the door, staring down at the pie in my hands. Something about the way she\u2019d said \u201cspecial\u201d made my chest tighten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, I grabbed a knife immediately and cut into the golden crust. The blade slid through layers of fruit and steam until it hit something soft. Paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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I carefully lifted it out \u2014 a small, folded note wrapped neatly in plastic to keep it dry. My fingers hesitated before unfolding it. And when I did, the world tilted slightly beneath my feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One word. That was all. A name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mug slipped from my hand and hit the floor, shattering into porcelain shards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one there knew my secret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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I\u2019d been careful \u2014 new city, new phone number, no social media. I hadn\u2019t told a soul. So how did she\u2014? Before I could think, I was already moving, pushing open the front door so hard it slammed against the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cJocelyn!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

She hadn\u2019t gone far. In fact, she was only a few steps down the path, standing by my flower bed and pretending to admire the hydrangeas. As if she knew I\u2019d come after her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She turned at the sound of my voice, her smile blooming like she hadn\u2019t just dropped a bomb into my kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh! There you are. I was just saying to myself how lovely these look.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cCut the act! How do you know this name?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI see you found my little surprise. I hoped you would.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnswer me. Where did you get this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing what you can learn if you pay attention. And I always pay attention, Alicia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cold wave ran through me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow,\u201d she continued, \u201cabout that parking space. It really is more convenient for me. I think we\u2019d both be happier if I used it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cAnd if I say no?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, people do talk. And people from the past\u2026 sometimes they find things out. Addresses, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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I stared at her, deep-buried fear rooting me to the spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood talk,\u201d Jocelyn said brightly, stepping back toward her yard. \u201cI\u2019ll start parking there tomorrow. Welcome to the neighborhood.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had run to escape that one person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at that moment, somehow, the past was already waiting on my front porch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next two weeks, Jocelyn\u2019s demands grew like weeds: slow at first, then choking everything they touched. It started with the parking space. Then came the next \u201cfavor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlicia, would you mind giving my fence a fresh coat of paint? I\u2019d do it myself, but my wrists are so sensitive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I did. Finally, it followed with, \u201cI\u2019m hosting a small get-together for my girlfriends. It would mean so much if you helped serve it in your pretty garden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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And there I was, Saturday evening, carrying trays of bruschetta and lemonade into my perfectly curated backyard. Meanwhile, a group of women in linen dresses sipped and laughed under string lights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, Alicia, be a darling and bring more napkins,\u201d Jocelyn called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I swallowed my pride and did it. Again and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cMore ice, please.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, and clean that up \u2014 someone spilled it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They barely looked at me. Jocelyn, meanwhile, floated among the women, glowing under their admiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHonestly,\u201d she said, loud enough for the whole garden to hear, \u201cI don\u2019t know how I ever managed without Alicia. She\u2019s always ready to run around and fix things the moment I ask, aren\u2019t you, dear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI guess we all have our roles,\u201d I said lightly, though my hands trembled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I turned away before they could see the look on my face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later, in the kitchen, I could hear the laughter drift through the open window. I wasn\u2019t trying to listen, but their voices carried easily over the music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI could use a little servant now around my house,\u201d Jocelyn was saying, her tone syrupy and triumphant. \u201cI don\u2019t need to worry about a thing anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stared at the pile of dirty plates and felt something old and angry stir deep inside. The same helpless fury I\u2019d promised I\u2019d never feel again. Enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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I wiped my hands on a towel and glanced out the window. They were still outside, leaning back in their chairs, completely absorbed in their little circle of power and privilege.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of them was watching the door. I slipped off my apron and crossed the living room, tiptoed across the yard straight to Jocelyn’s house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I needed something I could use to protect my new life from the past I thought I\u2019d left behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I slipped through the side gate like a thief, though nothing I was doing felt like stealing. The sound of laughter drifted from my garden. They were mixing new cocktails. Good. That meant I had time.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The back door of Jocelyn\u2019s house wasn\u2019t locked. I stepped inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything was perfectly in place. I moved quickly but carefully, pulling open drawers, scanning surfaces, checking the mail left on a narrow console table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bills. Flyers. Nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the hallway, a small cabinet. Inside \u2014 keys, loose change, receipts. Still nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, in the corner of the living room, a small oak desk. I opened the top drawer. Blank stationery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second \u2014 bills, warranty papers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third \u2014 my breath caught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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A stack of envelopes tied with a thin ribbon. And on top, a postcard. I knew it before I even read the words. The handwriting, the slanted letters, the small, deliberate curve in the capital \u201cT.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cYou think you can disappear? You can\u2019t. I\u2019ll find you, Alicia. I always do. Love, Robert.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d torn that postcard in half once. Yet there it was, tucked into my neighbor\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I sank into her leather chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Jocelyn hadn\u2019t known anything. She\u2019d just found the card (probably when it fell out of a box during the move) and decided to use it. A guess. A cruel, clever guess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that time, I\u2019d been terrified: of her, of what she might know, of what she might say. Meanwhile, she knew nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fear that had been wrapped around my chest for weeks began to loosen. In its place, something colder took root. Something deliberate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I placed the postcard back exactly as I\u2019d found it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then my eyes fell on a small silver key on the desk \u2014 the keychain engraved with her initials. I turned it over in my palm and smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five minutes later, her car was parked neatly on the next street over, tucked behind a row of hydrangeas where she\u2019d never think to look. Sweet revenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time I slipped back into my kitchen, the party was still going strong. I smoothed my hair and walked out into the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLadies! I think the party\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The laughter died instantly. Jocelyn turned, startled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou heard me. I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAlicia, maybe you should\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo! You should. You should tell them the truth \u2014 how you waved a piece of my past in my face without knowing what it really meant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The garden went still. A couple of women exchanged looks, but no one spoke. My throat was dry, but the words were finally ready to come out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cYou want to know the truth?\u201d I asked, turning to all of them now. \u201cThat name in the pie \u2014 the one your friend Jocelyn used to blackmail me \u2014 belongs to my ex-husband. A man who made my life hell for fifteen years. A man who still sends threats, even after the restraining order. The kind of man who would ignore the law and find me if he ever discovered where I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone gasped softly. Jocelyn\u2019s mouth parted, but I didn\u2019t give her a chance to speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI came here because I wanted to start over, to breathe again without looking over my shoulder. And because I\u2019m trying\u2026 I\u2019m trying to have a child. To build a life that isn\u2019t poisoned by fear. That\u2019s all I wanted \u2014 quiet mornings, a garden, a safe place to become a mother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A murmur rippled through the group. At that moment, Jocelyn looked small. She glanced at the women around her, searching for support, but found only cold stares and folded arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJocelyn\u2026\u201d one of them said quietly, \u201cthat\u2019s\u2026 that\u2019s not okay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWho does that?\u201d another muttered. \u201cThat\u2019s cruel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And just like that, the space around her shifted. The polite laughter, the eager smiles \u2014 gone. One by one, friends stepped away from her, murmuring short, awkward goodbyes as they passed me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so sorry,\u201d one woman whispered, touching my arm gently before she left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNone of us knew,\u201d said another. \u201cI hope you find peace here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jocelyn stood frozen in the middle of the yard. \u201cI\u2026 I didn\u2019t know,\u201d she stammered, but no one was listening anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I walked toward the house and closed the door behind me. The silence that filled the garden was different now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"For<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For illustration purposes only | Source: Amomama<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I moved to a peaceful suburb to start over, but when I cut into my neighbor\u2019s welcome pie and found a hidden note inside, I […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=92"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92\/revisions\/99"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/98"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=92"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=92"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/weheartanimals.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=92"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}