Alan
I walked the streets with long, heavy strides, the night air cool against my skin but doing nothing to cool the fire inside me.
Cyril had stayed behind, convinced I needed to clear my head, and I hadn’t argued.
Normally, the thought of leaving her alone would have left me restless, unable to think of anything else, but tonight I needed solitude.
Needed space to untangle the chaos of my thoughts.
I ended up at a quiet side street, the kind of lane where the city’s noise softened into a distant hum.
I sank onto the edge of a concrete seat, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, letting the weight of the day press down on me.
I could still see Cyril’s face, her eyes steady, unwavering, the gentleness she carried like a shield.
She trusted me in ways Susan never could, ye
