the space between us 2: a novella | daerin

5

AZALEA

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THE MOUTH WATERING AROMA OF kimchi stew quickly roused my senses despite the grogginess that loomed over me. Tilly stood by the couch, a wide smile plastered across her face as she jumped in excitement.

"You're awake!"

I nodded. "Sure am," I smiled weakly, noticing how quiet Casper was as she stood near us.

"I made kimchi stew," she mentioned. "Let's eat while it's still hot."

"For sure," I replied, instantly noticing the shift in her voice—the one that told me she'd realised something, that perhaps, she knew.

My heart began to race against its confines. How was she able to figure it out if she did? I tried to think of every moment we'd shared since I came home from my suspension the other day. We hadn't had many conversations or interactions that would give her any ideas or clues.

But when I finally managed to sit myself up, the answer was right in front of me: Tilly.

"You don't look good," Tilly mentioned, her small palm pressing against my cheek as if to comfort me. "Are you okay?"

Despite her age, Tilly was such a big comfort, and she had a great way of sensing when people were feeling a certain way.

I nodded. "Extremely," I replied, plastering on a big warm smile. "I've got my silly Tilly," I added, scooping her into my arms and pressing a kiss on Casper's lips. "And my love."

Casper's smile was small, but it was there, and that made me hopeful enough to feel somewhat at ease, though not enough to quell the fire in my chest screaming that everything was ruined.

"Let's eat," she motioned.

The three of us made our way to the table, Iris trotting along behind us, simply enjoying the company.

When I sat down next to Tilly, Casper began to pour stew into our bowls, and next to us was rice to go with it.

"This looks amazing, love." I smiled.

"Thanks, babe," she answered.

Tilly, sensing the tension, took my hand and gave me a reassuring squeeze. "You'll feel better after you eat, Mama."

I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, baby."

As we settled into our meal, the rich, spicy aroma of the stew filled the room, and for a moment, the warmth of the food and the presence of my family eased my worries. Casper had really outdone herself with the stew; it was perfectly seasoned, the tofu tender and the vegetables cooked just right.

"How was your day, Tilly?" I asked, hoping to steer the conversation towards something lighter.

"It was good! We did a drawing of a kangaroo at school today," she chirped, her face lighting up with excitement.

"That sounds wonderful, sweetie. You'll have to show us your drawing later," Casper said, her tone gentle but still tinged with underlying tension.

Tilly nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. "I will, Mommy!"

I looked over at Casper, who was watching Tilly with a soft smile. Despite the tension between us, the love and care she had for our daughter were always apparent. It reminded me of why I fell in love with her in the first place.

As we continued to eat, the silence that hung over us was not entirely uncomfortable but rather reflective, as if we were all lost in our own thoughts. I knew I needed to address the elephant in the room, to talk to Casper about what was really going on with my job and why I had been suspended. But now wasn't the time. We needed this moment of peace, this semblance of normalcy, even if it was fleeting.