«A woman with white hair. Smiling. Alive»
"My mother."
I swallowed, feeling a knot in my throat.
I couldn't tell if it was real… or just my mind playing tricks on me.
—"Do you miss her?" —Clarisse asked, without looking at me.
I remained silent.
I didn't answer. But I didn't deny it either.
I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
She didn't press the issue.
She didn't need to.
Her voice wasn't looking for answers, just to acknowledge that she had noticed something.
That afternoon we returned to the mansion earlier than usual, yet I ended up more tired than usual.
***
The morning arrived without incident.
Apparently, I had fallen asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I woke up feeling a little stiff, and after stretching my arms and shoulders a bit, I did some exercises to relax. Nothing too strenuous, just enough to wake up my body.
Even so, there was something strange in the air.
A slight feeling of discomfort.
