Happiness

For a moment, in an uncertain span of time, Andreas could only remain silent. Vlora's questions pierced, penetrated, and permeated. They penetrated Andreas' chest and squeezed the pulsations within.

The air escaped. Andreas felt suffocated.

Everything was out of his control. No matter how clever Andreas was in assessing his interlocutor. It didn't matter how clever Vlora was in controlling herself to become an unreadable person. In reality, they were still ordinary people with their own wounds.

Andreas and Vlora were like mirrors and their reflections. They stared at each other and found duplicates, though for different reasons. Both were children from families that were not whole.

There had been betrayal, there had been tragedy. Both had deep wounds in their hearts.

Now, after Vlora had said it, Andreas' memories came back. He realized that throughout his life, there had never been a welcome awaiting his return.

There was only Amanda. Never Bryan.

Oh, not that Andreas wasn't grateful