Chapter 66

Theo’s POV

I have done well tonight, better than I expected, really. Not once have I mentioned Mark, not once have I brought up Ronald, or anything remotely connected to the storm we all know is coming. The entire meal has passed with an almost surreal sense of calm.

We kept the conversation light, asked Harper questions about what she enjoys, let her talk, and she did. She spoke softly about a dress she was working on, her voice gaining a little more strength with every word as she described the details, the stitching, the fabric choices. And for a while, I almost believed this dinner could be what it appeared to be on the surface, just a simple meal.

But underneath it all, there is a tension that refuses to quiet down inside me. It keeps rising, scratching at the edges of my restraint, demanding that I ask the questions I have no permission to