Leo didn’t respond right away, his gaze fixed on her face, as if trying to find something that matched what she was saying.
After a moment, he stepped forward slightly, not fully closing the distance, but enough to show that he was willing to listen.
“Why did you cut it?” he asked, his voice quiet but clear, a question that hadn’t been fully answered before.
Brenda took a breath, her eyes flickering briefly toward us, then back to him, choosing her words with care.
“I thought I knew what was best,” she said slowly, “but I didn’t understand why it mattered to you.”
Leo nodded faintly, as if that explanation made sense, even if it didn’t make it right.
“I liked it,” he said simply, his hand moving unconsciously to his hair, now just beginning to curl again at the edges.
“I know,” Brenda replied, and there was something in her voice that sounded different, not just regret, but recognition.
The room remained quiet, not tense, but attentive, as if everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.
