Robert.
She looked lighter after the call.
Not completely free of the tension Melissa had left behind, I could still see it if I paid close enough attention. The faint crease between her brows when her thoughts wandered too far. The way her shoulders hadn't fully relaxed, as if her body still anticipated another knock on the door, another sharp word cutting through the air.
But lighter.
And that mattered.
The heaviness that had settled over her earlier wasn't suffocating anymore. It had thinned, like fog lifting just enough to let the sun break through in cautious streaks.
I sat beside her on the bed, close enough that our knees brushed, our fingers still intertwined as though neither of us had consciously decided to let go. She scrolled absentmindedly through her phone, the faint glow reflecting against her cheek.
She didn't realize I was watching her.
Or maybe she did, and chose to ignore it.
