Sharing guilt (1)

Neven returned home in time for dinner. Since he had used up a lot of his time in Mario's study, he had bought takeaway from the best restaurant in the area. With the packets still warm, he couldn't wait to see Vera eat and recover her energy.

He opened the door and walked in, heading straight to the kitchen to leave the food and set the table.

«I'm back,» he said out loud. Even just that, the fact that he needed to announce his arrival because he wasn't alone, made him so happy.

He heard nothing as a reply, so he knocked at his bedroom door. Vera didn't reply, but he opened the door ajar. The bed was empty. She wasn't there.

Was she in the bathroom?

Before he could continue looking for her, he found her silhouette in the dining room. She was sitting at the table, her back straight and her eyes lost in the void.