[Hospital Room — Early Morning]
Morning light crept gently through the curtains, turning the sterile white room softer, kinder. The machines hummed steadily, no longer alarming.
Alexander was awake, propped slightly against the pillows, watching Evelyn without interrupting her.
She stood near the small table, carefully peeling an orange. Her movements were slow and deliberate, like she was afraid of breaking the calm if she rushed it.
"You are staring again," she said without looking up with a faint smile tugging at her lips.
He didn't deny it. "I like watching you do normal things," he replied quietly. "It makes this place feel less hospital."
She walked back to the bed and sat beside him, handing him a piece of the orange. "Eat. The doctor said you need strength."
"Yes, ma'am," he teased, taking it from her fingers. Their hands lingered together longer than necessary.
