Chapter 22. Unburdened Hearts

Theo

Night fell, and I was the last to talk to Yuri. He was near the lake with an old lantern, illuminating the encroaching darkness.

“Good night, Yuri,” I said, and he looked at me, smiling, greeting me with a slight nod.

“How are you tonight, Theo?” he asked. His gaze was sharp, but not in a bad way. Yuri was someone who could read me just with his eagle eyes.

“I... I would like to read what I wrote to my mother,” I said, feeling insecure because I had never read the first thing I wrote in the diary. During these days here, I had talked about my father, my brother, Bianca, and even a bit about Juliano, but never about her. I never spoke about my mother.

Yuri straightened up and picked up a small bottle beside him. He poured the liquid into a glass and handed it to me.

'Drink,' he said, and I didn't know what it was, but I took the glass from his hand. It was a warm drink with a pleasant smell that instantly relaxed and calmed me