Picked up the remote.
Never threw it again.
The household changed too.
Claire’s photographs disappeared gradually.
Nicholas did not destroy them dramatically.
Walter boxed them.
Stored them.
The engagement flowers died.
Invitations were discarded.
Silver decorations vanished.
Life resumed.
One morning Nicholas asked Hannah:
“When is Ethan’s surgery?”
She froze.
“How do you know his name?”
“You told me.”
“I said my brother.”
“You said Ethan once.”
“Did I?”
“Yes.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You've been investigating me?”
Nicholas looked offended.
“That would be intrusive.”
Walter coughed in the background.
Hannah looked at him.
Walter immediately left.
Nicholas sighed.
“Fine.”
“I asked Walter.”
Hannah folded her arms.
“Why?”
Nicholas looked uncomfortable.
A rare sight.
“Because the household insurance administrator mentioned authorization delays.”
Her face changed.
“How do you know that?”
“I own the company providing the policy.”
Hannah closed her eyes.
“Of course you do.”
Nicholas continued.
“I didn't interfere.”
“Good.”
“I asked if there was an administrative problem.”
“There is.”
“I know.”
She glared.
Nicholas raised both hands.
“I didn't pay anything.”
Hannah waited.
“I only asked why paperwork was delayed.”
“And?”
“Someone filed the dependent documentation incorrectly.”
Hannah stared.
Nicholas continued.
“It was corrected.”
“You fixed it.”
“I corrected bureaucracy.”
“That is fixing it.”
He smiled.
“Then you're welcome.”
Hannah tried to stay angry.
Failed.
The surgery happened seven weeks later.
Nicholas did not visit the hospital.
Hannah asked him not to.
“This is Ethan’s day.”
“Not yours.”
He understood.
Instead, he sent nothing.
No flowers.
No expensive gift.
No giant gesture.
At Hannah’s request, he stayed away.
The surgery succeeded.
When Hannah returned to the mansion three weeks later, Nicholas was sitting in the library.
She entered.
He looked up.
“How is he?”
“Annoying.”
Nicholas smiled.
“Good sign.”
“Excellent sign.”
She placed something on his desk.
A paper crane.
Crooked.
Nicholas picked it up carefully.
“What is this?”
“Ethan made it.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Hannah smiled.
“He said I told him my scary patient helped with insurance.”
Nicholas stared at her.
“You told him I'm scary?”
“He’s eight.”
“He likes scary.”
Nicholas turned the crane in his hand.
“What does it mean?”
“He thinks they grant wishes.”
Nicholas looked skeptical.
Hannah continued:
“He says crooked ones work too because magic doesn't care.”
Nicholas became quiet.
He placed the crane beside a photograph of his sister.
It remained there for years.
The relationship between Nicholas and Hannah changed slowly.
Not romantic.
Not immediately.
First came friendship.
Which Nicholas found more difficult.
Romance in his world often involved performance.
Clothes.
Restaurants.
Hotels.
Possession.
Friendship required being seen repeatedly without control over the angle.
Hannah saw him sick.
Angry.