Clara Knox pursed her lips, silent. She really didn't dare to promise him anything. Over the years, she had developed a certain aversion to emotions, once bitten, twice shy.
Towards the word "love," she felt a profound reverence, and admittedly, deep down, there was also a tiny bit of hope, yet she dared not try again.
Life doesn't give you that many chances to make mistakes over and over again.
Seeing her silent, Edward Harper laughed at himself wryly and changed the subject,
"Are you full? Once we're full, we can set off."
Edward Harper called for a designated driver from his phone and within minutes, the driver called to say he had arrived. The family of four went downstairs; Edward sat in the passenger seat, Clara and the two kids sat in the back, quiet throughout the drive, perhaps due to the presence of a stranger.
The car stopped at the foot of the hill.