It was the laughter that woke Nathan up. Loud, radiant and bright. At first it felt like he was in a dream, and yet reality kept drawing close, pulling him towards the laughter that felt like sunlight.
He opened his eyes.
Dull morning light streamed through the thin curtains. For a moment he remained there, basking in the moment. He missed this.
Nathan stood up, rubbing his face. He saw then that Rosie’s bed was empty, the sheets cleaned and tidied as if she had never been there. Her things weren’t even in the room.
He moved, his body still heavy with sleep. He hadn’t heard her get up. Had she left early, or had he just been too exhausted to notice?
He reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head, then ran a hand through his hair before standing. The stiffness in his back remin
