had become shorter over the previous few weeks. Long conversations had turned into single sentences. Sometimes she responded with nothing more than a heart, a thumbs-up, or a brief “okay.”
I tried not to take it personally.
She was sleeping in hospital chairs, speaking with doctors, managing medications, and trying to remain strong for her daughter. She did not owe anyone cheerful conversation.
Aaron leaned down and kissed the top of my head before picking up his keys.
“See you tonight.”
“Drive safely.”
“I will.”
I watched his old car disappear at the end of the street.
After he left, the house became strangely still.
I remember standing beside the window with an uneasy feeling in my chest, as though something had been gathering around us for weeks.
I simply did not know what it was yet.
Part Two: The Night He Came Downstairs
Lily’s illness soon became visible in
