Deputy President King spoke earnestly, occasionally bursting into laughter.
Oliver Johnson clenched his phone tighter, his long fingers distinct and pronounced.
"President Johnson, if there's nothing else, I'll hang up now." Two seconds later, Oliver Johnson heard the sound of the call ending.
Annoyed, he tossed his phone to his assistant and began walking toward his office.
…
Sophie Smith stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, hands tucked into the pockets of her wool coat, watching the snowflakes cascade down.
These past few days, she's been exceptionally peaceful, as if her mind had an automatic filter that screened out all the unwanted thoughts and bad memories she didn't want to confront.
A pair of large hands wrapped around her waist at some point, and without turning, she knew who was behind her.
"Why are you home so early today?" It was his earliest return in nearly a week, arriving before sunset. Normally, he returned late, often not until two in the morning.
