Chapter 21 — Back to Us
The ride back to the palace was unusually quiet.
Mia sat beside Nathan, staring through the window.
Normally, she would have found something to say.
She might have complained about the long drive, made a comment about something they had seen, or teased him about the dinner.
But tonight was different.
Sofia's question kept coming back to her.
Are you two in love or what?
Mia sighed quietly.
She didn't understand why one simple question had made everything feel strange.
Beside her, Nathan was just as quiet.
He looked out of the opposite window, pretending to be interested in the passing scenery.
Neither wanted to bring up what had happened.
When they finally arrived at the palace, they walked inside together.
Usually, they would talk as they headed toward their rooms.
Tonight, there was only silence.
Mia stopped at the staircase.
"Goodnight."
Nathan nodded.
"Goodnight."
They went in opposite directions.
Mia closed her bedroom door and leaned against it.
"This is ridiculous," she whispered.
She had known Nathan since childhood.
Why was she suddenly uncomfortable around him?
Across the palace, Nathan was thinking almost the same thing.
He sat on the edge of his bed.
"Sofia really had to ask that question."
He shook his head.
There was nothing different between him and Mia.
At least, there shouldn't be.
---
The next morning wasn't much better.
Mia entered the breakfast room.
Nathan was already there.
Their eyes met.
Both immediately looked away.
Mia sat down.
"Good morning."
"Good morning."
Silence.
Mia reached for her tea.
Nathan reached for his coffee.
Their hands almost touched.
Both pulled back at the same time.
Mia looked at him.
Nathan looked at her.
Then they both laughed awkwardly.
"This is strange," Mia admitted.
Nathan nodded.
"Very."
"We've known each other forever."
"I know."
"So why are we acting like strangers?"
Nathan thought about it.
"I don't know."
Mia sighed.
"Neither do I."
That was the end of the conversation.
But somehow, saying it aloud helped.
---
Later that afternoon, Mia was sitting in the library trying to understand a pile of documents.
She had been staring at the same page for almost ten minutes.
"This makes absolutely no sense."
Nathan, who had just entered the library, looked over.
"What doesn't?"
She held up the document.
"This."
He walked over and looked at it.
"It's a proposal for the charity event."
"I know what it is."
"Then why are you confused?"
"Because whoever wrote this apparently decided that normal sentences weren't good enough."
Nathan laughed.
Mia looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You laughed."
"I did."
"And you're enjoying my suffering."
"A little."
Mia pushed the papers toward him.
"Then help me."
Nathan pulled up a chair beside her.
"Fine."
They began going through the documents together.
At first, Mia was quiet.
Then Nathan made a comment about one of the ridiculous paragraphs.
Mia laughed.
A few minutes later, they were discussing the event normally.
Then they were joking.
Then Mia started telling him about an idea she had for the charity.
Nathan listened carefully and offered suggestions.
Before long, the strange feeling between them had disappeared.
They were simply Mia and Nathan again.
Talking.
Laughing.
Working side by side.
Neither noticed exactly when the change happened.
It simply did.
---
That evening, they walked through the palace garden together.
Mia was telling Nathan about something funny one of her brothers had said at dinner.
Nathan laughed.
"You should have seen your face."
"I was trying not to laugh."
"You failed."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
Mia nudged his arm.
"You're exaggerating."
Nathan smiled.
For a moment, they continued walking in comfortable silence.
There was no tension anymore.
No careful distance.
No awkward glances.
They had somehow returned to the ease they had always shared.
Mia looked at him.
"I'm glad things aren't weird anymore."
Nathan glanced at her.
"Me too."
Neither of them realized that they had just taken another step closer.
They didn't need to.
Their friendship had always been effortless.
Now their marriage was slowly becoming that way too.
And somewhere along the way, without either of them noticing, being together had stopped feeling like something they had to adjust to.
It was simply becoming normal.
Their families might have noticed something changing.
Sofia might have asked the question.
But Mia and Nathan weren't ready to ask themselves anything.
For now, they were happy just being close.
And neither wanted to disturb that.