He sat beside her. Didn’t reach for her like he usually did. Instead, he pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over her shoulders. Then he made tea—something he’d never done in her kitchen. He found the chamomile in the back of the cupboard, boiled water, and tried not to think about how domestic it felt.
She didn’t answer at first. Then, softly: “My mom’s in the hospital. She collapsed this morning.”
“Bad day?” Akira asked, hanging his coat.
He sat beside her. Didn’t reach for her like he usually did. Instead, he pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over her shoulders. Then he made tea—something he’d never done in her kitchen. He found the chamomile in the back of the cupboard, boiled water, and tried not to think about how domestic it felt.
She didn’t answer at first. Then, softly: “My mom’s in the hospital. She collapsed this morning.”
“Bad day?” Akira asked, hanging his coat.