Their Secret, His Silence

affectionate lately,

voice soft. "Are you okay,

iled in

te, smelling faintly of a man

carelessly over a chair in

to initiat

in his hands. "Not tonight, Iz

iled in hi

he youth ce

t in college, full of shared

emory lane," s

oom, surrounded by children' s

"Ethan... darling... I h

, her grip tight.

of staged emotion. "It

arefully blank, a can

smile a little too bright,

y the door, a pi

he' s amazing with expectant mothers. He' s offered to sta

from her to L

his voice. "Are you su

es, quickly masked. "Ethan!

knocked over a tall d

ts clattered to the

to "help," got slightly bumped

Isabella fussed, rushing to L

voice sharp. "Ethan, be c

urse. "I... I have to go. An

ving Ethan amidst th

supposed need for assist

atched

nstrapped the supportive ha

t into a nea

d out and hail