Smiles & Scars

unsure if I was allowed to be there, unsure if I wanted to be there. The silence in the house wasn't just an absence of sound, it wa

nings. No nod. Not even a flicker of acknowledgment. Just the quiet clinking of silver again

palace neither of us wanted to call home. My plate was filled with toast, eggs, and fruit I hadn't asked for. Damon's

toast past the tigh

d, hating the way my voice s

, eyes unread

entence.

hearing the clock. All night. I d

d out the window. The silence returned, louder n

and left. The sound of his footsteps retreati

where he went, but I imagined him sitting behind a large desk in a cold off

er will be at seven." "You have an event with my moth

emotionless. Efficient, lik

se it felt like begging a brick wall to bloom flowers. He wasn't cruel, not in th

the only space that felt honest. My

r v

ddle name, or his favorite song, or if he even likes the rain. I miss the

ghost wearing

ng shelves and a fireplace that hadn't been lit in years. I ran my fingers along the spine

ike to

ed. "Yes. Sometimes. It's

the room, hands in his pockets. "My mothe

ead. "Before

ed. "Befor

t felt different. Not heavy. N

ace him fully

"Don't be. Everyon

rs were hidden behind his perfectly tailored su

id, "I'm not

nd. Then nodded once, as if fil

reading, breakfast alone, therapy calls with Ivy in secre

had already eaten. But he was there, scrolling thro

omewhere els

his head.

moments, we just at

me. "You always ea

ked. "

ou eat everything else first.

me more, that he noticed,

y favorite

d. "Make

ft the table that night with a st

d, Charles

Damon stiffened. I did too. Charles barely acknowled

ext week," he said. "Make su

ightened. "Sh

be sentimental. Image

ear the blue gown.

lowly, hea

from the doorway, wanting to go in, to say something. But I

lence like an old song. It had rhythms, pauses,

laughed. We had

gan shari

without saying anything. Just p

t a note beside his

t, he replied:

rds. Notes passed between salt s

ry the cinnamon rolls tomorrow. T

nreadable as yo

dn't expect. I

d into the hallway, unsure where I was going

before I c

surprised.

ed. "I had a dream. About.

questions. Jus

f, knees hugged to my chest. Damon sat opposite me, silent, watch

ow, that

cage. But the bars were g

re were moments now, tiny thread

g wrapped

wly losing its