I notice.I can't not notice."You alright?"
"Yeah.Just..."She reaches for the phone, glances at the screen, then sets it back down face down."Group chats—always going mental on the weekends."
She's lying.I know she's lying.I can see it in the way her jaw's tight, the way her hand shakes slightly when she picks up her coffee mug.
But I don't push.Not yet.
The phone buzzes again.She flinches.
"Enya—"
"It's nothing.Just spam probably."
"You sure?"
"Yeah.I'm sure."But her voice is too bright, too forced.
I let it drop.For now.
We sit in silence for a few minutes, drinking terrible coffee, both of us pretending everything's normal.
"I hate that I'm relieved Warren’s not here.What kind of mother is relieved her kid's gone?"
"The kind who's trying to keep him safe.There's nothing wrong with that."
"Feels wrong.Feels like I'm failing him."
"You're not failing anyone."I set my mug down, turn to face her."You left an abusive relationship.Built a life for you and your son.Kept him safe for years.You're not failing.You're surviving.There's a difference."
She looks at me, eyes shining."He's in my head again.Declan.Just like before.Watching.Waiting.Making me second-guess everything."
"I know."
"I hate it.Hate that he still has this power over me."
"He doesn't have power.He just has the proximity.And we're going to fix that."
"How?How do you fix someone who's always watching?"
"By making sure he can't watch anymore."
She goes quiet.Processing.Then… "What does that mean?"
"It means you're not facing this alone.It means I've got brothers helping.It means we're watching him now, not just the other way around."
"Devin—"
"I'm not letting him near you, Enya.Or Warren.Or your mam.I promise."
She stares at me for a long moment.Then, slowly, she moves closer, curls into my side, and lets me wrap my arm around her.
"I don't know how to do this," she whispers.
"Do what?"
"Trust someone.Let someone help.Be..."She stops."Be with someone."
"You don't have to know.Just let it happen."
