The clatter of utensils on the table was the only sound breaking the silence as Esme sat quietly, her usual air of detachment returning now that the child was asleep.
She wore a simple T-shirt and lower, looking fresher than she had all day, yet the atmosphere in the room felt thick with unspoken tension.
Ray watched her closely as they ate, the contrast between the lively Esme with the child and the one now sitting before them gnawing at him.
He put down his knife with a soft thud, unable to bear the silence any longer.
"I was thinking..." he began, his voice cutting through the quiet. Esme, mid-bite, paused and set her knife down, tilting her head slightly, signaling her attention. But her expression remained neutral, without a flicker of emotion.
"I was thinking that it might be good for us to talk about having a child," Ray continued, his voice carrying a weight of expectation.
