Ariana gave her full attention to Sheila as those words left her mouth.
Across the room, Sheila leaned forward slightly, her elbows resting on her knees now as she stared down at the floor between her feet.
For a while she said nothing more, letting the silence stretched again, though this time it felt different. Less like a wall, and more like the slow gathering of thoughts that had been tangled together for too long.
Finally, Sheila spoke again.
"…It's strange." She said in a softer tone. "I spent so long thinking I understood him."
She let out a faint breath.
"I thought I knew exactly why he did everything he did."
Her fingers tightened together slightly.
"I thought I had already figured it all out."
She paused again, then she shook her head faintly.
"But yesterday…" Her voice faltered for a moment. "…he told me things I wasn't ready to hear."
Ariana stayed quiet.
