33. A Quietness in Life

Time quietly passed, marked by the grandfather clock in the living room. Past midnight, the house was still, with only a faint light from the workshop below. In bed, Edith stirred as Henry approached, a book resting on her chest. She watched him enter the room, his familiar fatigue visible. Wordlessly, Henry joined her in bed, their presence together a subtle comfort in the dimness. Over the years, their nightly routine had changed, moments of shared time becoming less frequent in the quiet of their empty nest. Dinners once shared had turned into individual activities, reflecting the gradual shifts over time. Lying together in the night’s quiet, they drifted towards sleep, a silent acknowledgment of the evolving patterns of their lives.