Ellen remained seated in the car as Mason pulled into the driveway of their home. Usually, the sight of the place would bring her some sense of peace. But today, it felt different—heavier somehow.
The car came to a stop, and a tense silence settled in. Ellen's fingers tightened around the edge of her seat as she glanced at Mason from the corner of her eye. He sat still, one hand resting on the steering wheel, the other draped over the gear shift. His eyes were fixed straight ahead, not on her, not even on the house, but somewhere distant—lost in his own thoughts.
For a long moment, neither of them moved or spoke. Ellen could feel the unease growing inside her, like a knot tightening in her chest. She knew she should get out of the car, let Mason head back to work, or wherever he needed to go. But she didn't move. Something held her back, and the longer she stayed, the more her thoughts began to spiral.
