'Have a good day. Drive safely.'
She knew Lyra wasn't there. She knew it was just her mind playing tricks. Yet, her head turned automatically.
Elara could almost see her. She would be standing there with toast crumbs on her face, wearing pajamas that were way too big for her, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. That was how she used to say goodbye. She remembered how she used to think it was adorable, how she would wrap her arms around her waist and pull her close...
The memories flooded in so fast her eyes began to throb. A sharp headache bloomed behind her temples. She pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose, trying to shove the images back into the dark.
*****
The silence of the house didn't change when Elara got home from work. It was a heavy, thick kind of quiet. No matter how much the clocks ticked or the fridge hummed, nothing could break it.
