The Smile Beneath the Quiet Sky
And somewhere behind them, unseen but felt, his family watched from the courtyard—Anna's gentle smile, Ben's quiet pride, and Ania's delighted whisper as she pointed toward the garden.
"Maybe," Ania said, her voice bright and light with joy, "big brother's smiling again."
Anna's eyes softened. "Yes," she murmured, a small warmth flickering in her tone. "He is."
The courtyard glowed under the mellow sunlight, the flowers bending softly in the wind. The sound of the fountain's trickle filled the air between them—a tranquil rhythm that made the moment feel almost untouched by time. Ben stood slightly apart from the others, his arms loosely crossed, eyes fixed on the distant figure of Victor and Violet beneath the garden arch. The way Victor's expression had changed—so subtly, yet unmistakably—made something stir in Ben's chest. Pride, yes. But also something heavier, quieter. Relief, maybe.
