Keeping the peace
Olivia sensed something was up, the tension in our house was tangible. But she didn’t probe further, accepting with grace when we deflected serious topics.
“How was school?” I’d ask casually. “Good,” she’d reply, her eyes bright with stories half-told.
We maintained light conversations, laughing more than usual, trying to insulate her from reality. Underneath, our concerns quietly thrummed but were unspoken between us.