As instructed, they all remained seated and waited patiently for her. No one said anything, and surprisingly, the silence wasn’t empty. It didn’t have any tension; it was comfortable, but still had the feel of emotions that weren’t spoken.
Along with that, Kira sat still, maybe not too still as she kept tapping her feet on the ground and her fingers lightly on her knee while glancing around and often stealing glances at Bryan and Aiden, who would also look at her from time to time and wink, even though they were all seated on one couch.
And then, footsteps.
It was soft but firm, quick yet steady in approach.
Elara walked back into the room holding books and pens. She moved quietly, her face not giving away anything as she walked toward them.
“Tear a sheet of paper and place it on your book when given to you,” she said, giving all of them instructions as she stopped in front of Orion and gave him a book and a pen.
Then, she turned and walked to where Bryan, Aiden, and Kira were seated and gave Bryan the same. Aiden followed, accepting his own with a questioning look, but Elara kept mute, not explaining anything. Instead, she went back to her seat with her own book and pen.
“So, what is this for?” Bryan questioned, breaking the silence since everyone decided to suddenly love being mute. “Mother?” He called out softly, flipping open the blank book in his hands.
“Are we supposed to write something?” Aiden glanced at his own, then at his mother.
“And what about mine?” Kira asked, looking at Elara. “I don’t get a book and pen like everyone else?”
“You don’t, my darling,” Elara responded gently, her expression softening. “Since we can’t say everything we want to, and there is not enough time, and also because we want these last days to be a happy one, each of us will write a letter for you.”
“A letter?” Kira asked, taken aback. “Oh,” she muttered as the realization hit her. “A letter.”
“Yes. You can read it when you…” Elara stopped for a moment, the words hard to say. She swallowed hard before her throat started working again. “You can read it when you leave. It’s… a part of us.”
Everyone else, hearing this, simply nodded in understanding, and so did Kira. She gave a small, shaky nod, pressing her lips together as she watched as each of them tore a sheet of paper, picked up their pens, and started writing.
Now the room was quiet again.
Kira sat still, her hands on her laps, as she watched them. She could see it-the way they all tried to stay strong, the way the whole situation was pressing them all down, and despite that, they didn’t want to falter-at least not too much.
Bryan and Aiden, usually confident and knowing what to say, both stared at their empty papers for a long time before they began to write. Meanwhile, Orion wrote carefully, his face showing concentration and love.
As for Elara…
She had a soft, sad smile on her lips as she wrote.
Turning left, right, and looking forward, Kira’s chest ached as she watched them. She could see the pain in the way their fingers held their pens, the way they each seemed lost in their emotions and writings.
She could feel it all.
The love. The grief. The pain. The quiet, desperate attempt to hold on. And as she lowered her gaze and stared at her lap, a single tear fell.
Quickly, she wiped it away and inhaled deeply to calm herself.
She didn’t want to cry. She wouldn’t.
So, she just sat there and waited.
After what felt like hours, which was worth it, they were finally done.
Bryan and Aiden were the first to give Kira their letters after folding their papers carefully.
“Here,” Bryan murmured and pecked her forehead after she took it, then Aiden did the same.
Kira, who was almost on the verge of tears, forced a small smile as she held the folded papers, as well as the urge to cry.
Then Orion and Elara stood.
They walked to Kira and placed their letters in her hands, each giving her hand a warm, soft squeeze before letting go.
Kira looked down at the letters in her hands and smiled.
“I am starting to feel very special,” she murmured. “How romantic,” she teased them, her voice a little shaky.
“You are indeed very special to each and every one of us in this room,” Bryan told her, the rest agreeing.
It was meant to be a joke, a tease, but Kira didn’t mind the response she got at all.
“You all are very special to me as well,” she said to them and blew them each a kiss, making them laugh as they pretended to catch it.
“Alright,” Elara said, clasping her hands together as their little laughter and teasing subsided. “Now that that’s done, the three of you need to get up and go get changed.”
“Change into what?” Kira asked.
“Something more comfortable,” Elara answered simply.
“This is comfortable,” Aiden said as he exchanged a look with Kira and Bryan before crossing his arms. “What’s wrong with what we are wearing?”
“Everything,” Elara said with a pointed look. “Go change into something more free. I would not like to repeat myself again.”
“Mum, what are you up to?” Kira asked, looking at Elara suspiciously.
“Yeah, Mother, tell us. What exactly is happening?” Bryan joined Kira in asking.
“Well…” Elara smiled, acting like she wanted to let them know her plan, but smoothly said, “You will know when you do as I say.”
“Fine, fine,” Aiden sighed but agreed and stood up, Bryan and Kira standing as well. “We will go change.”
“Good,” Elara said, nodding in satisfaction. “You can take your time, but don’t take too long.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” the three of them chorused and walked out of the living room.
As they walked out, Elara watched them go, while Orion watched her just as suspiciously as Kira had watched her earlier.
“What exactly are you planning, woman?” Orion inquired.
And instead of answering him, Elara smiled knowingly.