Brenda’s house looked the same as always, warm and inviting, the windows glowing softly, the smell of roast beef already drifting through the open door.
She greeted us with a bright smile, her eyes immediately landing on Leo, pausing just long enough to register the change, but not long enough to question it.
“Well, doesn’t he look so much better now,” she said lightly, as if she had adjusted a picture frame rather than altered something deeply personal.
I felt Mark’s hand brush against mine briefly, not to comfort, but to ground, a quiet reminder that we had come here with a purpose.
We stepped inside, the familiar sounds of clinking dishes and casual conversation filling the space, everything appearing normal in a way that felt almost surreal.
Dinner began as it always did, polite conversation, small laughter, Brenda moving between the kitchen and dining table, proud of the meal she had prepared.
Leo barely touched his food, his eyes fixed on his plate, while Lily kept glancing at him, then at me, as if waiting for something to happen.
