Morning came clear and cool, the sky a pale autumn blue, the lake flat and silver in the early light. Aaron woke before the alarm and lay still for a moment, orienting himself to the day. The space beside him was empty, the sheets cool, but he could hear Sophie moving in the kitchen — the soft clatter of a mug, the hiss of the kettle, the familiar sounds of a morning unfolding without urgency.
He found her at the counter, a cup of coffee already poured for him, the steam rising in a thin curl. She was wearing his old robe, the one she had claimed months ago, and her hair was tied back loosely, a few strands falling across her face. She looked up when he entered and smiled — not a questioning smile, not a searching one, but the simple warmth of someone who was glad to see him.
"You're up early," she said.
"So are you."
"I wanted to see you before you left."
