He stood beside her for a second, weighing his options. He knew saying too much could ruin the fragile peace that had just started to form. So, in the end, he pulled over another chair, sat beside her, and kept a respectful distance.
Several quiet seconds passed. Alaric looked ahead, not turning toward her. He sipped his coffee first, letting the warm bitterness settle in his mouth before finally speaking in a soft voice.
"Are you... dealing with something?"
There was no eye contact. Alaric kept his gaze straight ahead, making it sound more like a passing thought than a question. But he meant it. He just didn't want to overwhelm her.
At first, the woman didn't respond. But slowly, her hand moved to wipe her eyes, now dry from the earlier tears. Her lips trembled slightly. That simple question struck hard against the emotional wall she had built for so long.
