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The morning sun cast a soft, golden glow over Sulphur Springs, Louisiana. The rays filtered through the sheer curtains of the Campbell bedroom, dappling the walls with warm, fleeting patterns. The town outside was quiet, save for the faint hum of cicadas and the distant chirping of birds, signaling the start of another humid day.
Ben stirred first, the warmth of the sunlight brushing against his face. He reached out instinctively, expecting to find Sarah beside him, but her side of the bed was cold. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, he turned his head and found her sitting upright on the edge of the mattress.
She was bathed in the morning glow, though her expression was far from serene. Sarah clutched her phone tightly, her gaze fixed on the screen. The faint blue light contrasted with the warmth of the room, illuminating her tear-streaked face. Her shoulders sagged, and the exhaustion etched into her features made her look like she hadn't slept at all.
"Sarah?" Ben's voice was hoarse, still heavy with sleep. He pushed himself up, concern washing over him as he took in her distant expression. "What are you doing?"
She didn't look at him right away, her thumb idly scrolling through something on her phone. A shaky breath escaped her lips before she finally turned her head toward him, her eyes red and rimmed with sleeplessness.
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted softly, her voice breaking. "I keep... I keep looking at these photos of her." She tilted the phone slightly so Ben could see-a picture of Zoey, her bright smile frozen in time, stared back at him. "It feels like if I keep looking... she's still here."
Ben didn't know what to say. He reached out, placing a comforting hand on her back, but the ache in her voice left him speechless.
Ben hesitated for a moment before sliding closer, his hand still resting on her back. His voice was soft, careful. "Sarah, I know this hurts. It's tearing me up too, but-"
"DO YOU?" she cut him off sharply, her voice rising as she turned to face him. Her eyes, glossy with tears, locked onto his. "DO YOU, BEN? BECAUSE I DON'T SEE IT. YOU'RE JUST... SITTING HERE, CALM AS EVER, LIKE IT'S JUST ANOTHER BAD DAY!"
Ben flinched but didn't pull away. His jaw tightened, his patience already stretched thin. "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, SARAH? FALL APART? SCREAM UNTIL I LOSE MY VOICE? I'M HURTING TOO, DAMN IT! I LOST MY DAUGHTER-OUR DAUGHTER. BUT WE HAVE KIDS TO THINK ABOUT. THEY NEED US. BOTH OF US."
Sarah froze, his words hanging heavy in the air. The tension between them thickened, pressing down like the humid Louisiana air outside. She stared at him, her anger faltering, replaced by something quieter-shame, maybe, or exhaustion too deep to articulate.
She turned away, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "I'm... I'm going to wake up Wyatt," she murmured, her voice barely audible. Without waiting for a response, she stood and left the room, leaving Ben alone in the golden light and the heavy silence that lingered in her wake.
