Maddie blinked as Amie carried Ivanna into the lounge, setting her gently into a velvet armchair. Amie’s eyes met Maddie’s for a brief moment—no words, just a quiet understanding—then she turned and left as silently as she came.

Ivanna sat there, head tilted, breathing slow and steady. Maddie knelt slightly, letting the moment settle around her, watching the sunlight catch a loose strand of Ivanna’s hair.

A faint smile tugged at her lips. She rested her hand near the arm of the chair—not touching, just close enough to say I’m here. For a brief instant, the lounge felt like it belonged only to them.