ence Star

had always taken quiet pride in

she co

gain, Elira woke with a heaviness tha

't hear

t

n that patience, when stretched too far, stopped feel

listening to the distant sounds of the city waking

tific

't expec

e part that

through her day wit

reete

swered

ended m

de, nothing lo

something

nned hallways wit

d when she heard fo

instinctive lift of ho

n no

he didn't look up wh

dn't linger in

r calm fel

more than confr

midmorning, voice low. "

ile. "I'm tryin

t's

nergy where i

face. "That sound

ed. "I thi

does th

Uncomfortable

squeezed her hand brie

by the emotion that rose

at afternoon, watching the c

that giving Elira

something Mira said watching her exist without orbit

o

dramat

g was slipping away slowly enough that yo

desk before he could

a," h

. Calm. Atten

es

that single wo

talk?" h

ment, then glanced at the c

of c

anyt

min

ed. "That'

mpty conference room i

lt inte

en quiet,"

r hands togethe

not what

ntly. "You mean I'm not

ou make it sou

," she

her voice caugh

I was asking you t

was offering. And then I realized I

wly. "I never wan

. "But intention doe

ettled be

s weight. "You'r

'm standing still. Y

s not

ther," she said so

"I don't know how to m

keep meeting you where

harder than

Elira didn

ra for din

in a small café, warm light spil

ter," Mira sai

d her drink.

sn't soun

etly. "Sad is honest. W

"Do you think he kno

face his hesitation, hi

aid. "I just don't think

ng to stay while h

ed down at

t know

on the edge of his b

typ

Are y

d at the

erase

n't the

ied a

I do some

eted t

vier than any mes

w how to do s

own, frustration t

arrived early again bu

achine, staring at it li

she said,

g," he

rself tea ins

not

ed," he sa

at him. "I

was

ccus

ang

t f

d. "Are you gi

, hand resti

g without knowing what I

d. "That feels lik

eplied. "But it m

, the hum of the offi

id carefully, "if

t him then,

anymore," she said. "Not

pened h

sed

felt the final piece of pati

tea warming her hands, res

et him, she didn't feel like s

she was moving

o, realized too late that

n spending her