That night, the bedroom was unusually still.
Bella lay close to Leo, her arms wrapped around him as she rested her cheek against his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath her ear but his mind seemed to be somewhere far away. His fingers moved slowly through her hair, an absentminded habit but his eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling.
For a long time, neither of them spoke.
The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the moonlight seeping through the curtains.
Bella finally lifted her face and looked at him.
"What do you think?" she whispered.
Leo's eyes remained fixed on the ceiling. He looked almost blank, as though he had deliberately stopped himself from thinking too deeply about what the doctor had said. As though he was afraid that if he allowed himself even a moment of hope, it would be taken away from him.
"I don't know," Leo said. His voice was quiet.
His arm tightened around her. His hand pressed flat against her back, holding her close.
