Shadows Between Us

sent

r, their low murmurs and occasional sniffles blending into the faint crackle of the fireplace. The scent of

re why she'd come. Maybe for closure. Maybe because she thought she owed it to Bonny, who had once been l

ence grounding her. But even with them there, Chloe fel

teen at the time, smiled brightly at the camera. Next to her stood Uncle Walter, his arm draped protectively over h

r. He had been so young then, yet even in the photograph, his eyes carried a weight far beyond his years. She studied his

been there for the proceedings, hadn't even given her the courtesy of an explanation. It had all be

ye

oughts. Chloe blinked, realizing she'd been s

ine. How could she be, standing here, surrounded by whispers and s

collective hush fell over the mourners, th

r breath catchin

ak

open, revealing a dark sweater beneath, the kind that seemed made to absorb shadows. His hair was longer than she remembered, curling slightl

harder, but still

on even as he remained silent. All eyes were on him, and none of them were kind

pproached Drake with slow, deliberate st

e," Walter said, his

lmost submissive, though his jaw was clenched tight. "I'

an apology changes anything? You

disappear, but she couldn't. Drake's gaze flicked briefly to her

just..." He paused, glancing at the framed photo of Bonny on a nearby table. His expression s

sing. "You lost the right to

ly above a whisper, but it carried enough weight to make Walter stop mid-sentenc

movements measured, careful. He didn't meet anyone's gaze

that he'd seen her, there was something in his expression, something raw and

of Boony, the whispers start

s no s

ve he showed h

w he's the reas

tle tightening of his shoulders, the way

he silence, to do anything other than s

he photo, whispered something too quiet for anyone to hear, He pla

t time, his eyes filled with something she

, Chloe's legs felt like lead, her mind spin