Elsie didn’t expect that to be the first thing out of his mouth. Reflexively, she replied, “...Morning.”
She almost asked him why he wasn’t asleep and just standing there, but swallowed the words before they came out.
She hadn’t really slept well either.
No matter how hard she tried, William always managed to shake her emotions up way too easily.
Like a stone thrown into still water—she might not want waves, but once they started rippling, they just wouldn’t stop.
Their eyes locked, a few seconds of awkward silence.
Then William opened his mouth again, voice low and raspy, like he wanted to say something: “Elsie…”
Just then, Olivia stumbled out, looking like the undead.
She blinked at William for a couple seconds, still half-asleep, then suddenly snapped awake.
