The wind blew lightly through his hair as he sat on the stone bench, gazing out at the river. I stood beside him, watching the way the moonlight glistened off the water.
“Mavis…” His voice was barely a whisper. “Tomorrow is my birthday. How long are you going to keep this up?”
I had forgotten. Tomorrow was his birthday. The gift I had ordered for him was probably still on its way.
--
Klaus awoke, instinctively reaching for the other side of the bed, expecting to feel the warmth of my body beside him. His hand landed on cold sheets instead, the chill sinking deep into his bones. He frowned, his brows knitting together as he stared at the space. My pillow still carried the faint scent of lavender, but it wasn’t enough to fill the void of my absence.
It was Klaus’s birthday today, a Saturday—usually a time when I’d go all out with surprises. He sat up, the dim morning light filtering through the curtains, casting long shadows on the walls. He scrubbed his face with his hands, trying to shake off the creeping unease that had settled in his chest since I walked out.