Joanne stood, holding the wooden railing of the porch as she leaned forward slightly to see. From afar, she could make out the figure walking toward their home. The stride. The hesitation in every step. Even before she saw his face, she recognized him.
Robert.
Ever since Brianna had walked out, Robert had spiraled. Not outwardly—but inwardly, he'd collapsed. The family rallied around him, but some voids couldn't be filled by company or comfort. Maybe he'd never fully understood how much space Brianna took in his life until she was gone.
A month ago, he vanished on a "vacation"—a concept so alien to him that even Jeffrey raised his brows. Joanne joked that he'd probably booked a ticket to orbit Mars or go yacht-sailing with billionaires. She hadn't expected to see him now. Not here. Not like this.
