I typed. Deleted. Read the same line three times without processing it.
Every few minutes, my eyes drifted back to that door.
Chewy shifted beside me at one point, letting out a small sigh before settling again. I scratched behind his ear without thinking, the motion automatic and something to do with my hands.
Time dragged.
I don’t even know how long I sat there before the door finally opened and Chewy ran to it.Traitor.
I looked up immediately as Aurora stepped out.
Active wear? Hair pulled back tight? No makeup?
She didn’t look at me as she grabbed Chewy’s leash, clipped it on and checked her phone like I wasn’t even in the room.
“What are you still doing here, Marlon?”
“Waiting,” I said.
She finally glanced at me quick, then away again.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“To walk Chewy.”
“I’ll come with.”
“Marlon.”
There was a warning in that.
“Bunny,” I said, standing up. “Please.”
She held my gaze for a second.
Long enough to make it clear she didn’t want to do this.
Then she exhaled, shaking her head slightly.
“Fine,” she said. “Just stay out of the way.”
We stepped outside together.
Well—
She stepped out and I followed. A few steps behind, not too close yet not too far.
Chewy pulled at the leash, excited, nose down, moving faster than her pace. She adjusted without thinking, letting him lead while keeping control.
But the entire time, she didn’t offer not a single glance back at me nor check if I was still there. People passed by, some walking dogs, some on their phones, none of them paying us any attention.
After a while, her pace slowed until she stopped.
There was a bench off to the side, tucked just enough away from the main path to feel private without being isolated. She walked over and sat down, letting Chewy wander in a small circle at the end of the leash before settling near her feet.
I stayed standing for a second before sitting at the far end of the bench, leaving space between us.
I didn’t want to crowd her or try to close that gap she clearly wanted.
