Sara Ikari Rodriguez
The morning sun spilled through the kitchen windows, painting everything golden. For once, it didn’t feel like the house was holding its breath.
I sat at the table, sipping warm tea while Matio poured himself a second coffee. His hair was still messy from sleep, shirt untucked, and for once, he looked relaxed.
We hadn’t talked about last night, but something had shifted between us. There was no tension in the air. No walls. Just space to breathe.
“Did you sleep alright?” he asked, taking the seat across from me.
I nodded. “Better than I have in weeks.”
He leaned back in his chair and gave a slow, quiet smile. “Good.”
The silence that followed was peaceful. It felt new. Like the kind of normal I didn’t think I’d ever have in this house.
I looked at him, wonderin
