86

AFTER AN HOUR

Stephen, Delilah and Nathan were out for a walk. Nathan too was excited. Stephen and Delilah walked side by side, maintaining their own distance between each other. But they were for a change talking to each other normally. They were talking about Stephen and his father's experience here.

The soft murmur of distant conversations blended with the gentle rustling of leaves as Stephen's words hung in the air, creating an atmosphere steeped in nostalgia and regret. "Not every weekend, but yes, every month we did come here to spend some time. I used to love those weekends. Dad wasn't an alpha then. He was just my dad."

Delilah's eyes, reflective pools of emotion, betrayed a hint of guilt as she absorbed his words. "You should have denied coming here then. This place has memories of him, and you lost him because of me."

Stephen sighed, his features sculpted by a blend of understanding and pain. "Don't blame yourself for that, and I couldn't deny Nathan. There are very few time