13. Ever Absent

Accustomed to this pattern, Edith sighed softly. Over the years, it had woven itself into their daily fabric. Henry’s return was usually followed by his swift descent to the workshop, leaving the family to their evening routines. Edith focused on her tasks, the evening’s familiar hum accompanying Henry’s retreat to the basement. As his footsteps faded, she shared a knowing look with her children, silently acknowledging the rhythm that defined their family life. This rhythm, of Henry lost in his sanctuary while they continued above, had become a familiar ebb and flow. In its regularity, the family found an odd sense of comfort.