The city woke the next morning pretending it knew what had happened.
Headlines summarized the vote. Analysts framed outcomes. Statements circulated explaining what the decision meant and what it did not. Everyone spoke with a confidence that did not quite match how they felt.
Palermo moved, but it moved cautiously.
Aria felt it immediately.
Not in the news. In people.
The bakery owner down the street asked fewer questions than usual. The woman who always waved from her balcony only nodded. Conversations stopped just short of conclusions.
Compromise had not satisfied anyone fully.
It had unsettled them.
At home, the morning was quiet. Elena sat at the table eating slowly, distracted by something only she could see.
"You are thinking very hard," Aria said gently.
Elena shrugged. "Things changed."
"Yes," Aria replied. "They did."
"Are they worse," Elena asked.
Aria paused. "No," she said carefully. "Just different."
Elena accepted that answer easily.
