Chapter 49: The Other Side of Edwin
The house was quiet in that way that comes only when everyone has retreated to their corners of thought. It was late evening, the last warmth of sunlight fading into a haze outside the kitchen window. Tiania stood at the counter, sipping tea, absently tracing the rim of the mug. She had been thinking about the hospital again, about Viania’s stubborn resilience, when a sound broke her from her thoughts.
Edwin stepped into the kitchen.
Not the usual, light-on-his-feet Edwin who could make an entrance feel like a casual performance, but a slower, heavier presence. His hands were in his pockets, shoulders slightly hunched. When he glanced at her, there was no teasing glint in his eyes.
“You’re quiet tonight,” Tiania said, tilting her head.
He shrugged, leaning against the doorway. “Long day.”
