Kyle woke to the sound of someone whispering in the hallway.
For a moment, he didn't know where he was. The blackout curtains had turned the room into a cave, and his body felt like it had been poured into the mattress. He was still in his hoodie. His shoes were still on. Someone had pulled a blanket over him.
He reached for his phone. 1:42 PM.
"Three hours. Cass is going to be insufferable."
The whispering came again. Low, strained, and unmistakably Jane's.
"No, I understand. I do. I just... I wanted to ask properly."
Kyle sat up and listened. His ears caught every word through the gap under the door.
"I know Marcus said two weeks. I know. But we're staying a little longer and I didn't want to just... not show up."
A pause.
"Okay. Okay, I'll hold."
Kyle swung his legs off the bed, crossed the room quietly, and opened the door.
