The moon had finally escaped whatever pale veil had hidden it earlier, rising clean and luminous above the lake until its silver glow joined the thousands of stars scattered across the night.
Phei and Melissa noticed none of it.
They were still too absorbed in the small world they had made beneath the ancient tree, his arm around her and his hand returning again and again to the quiet warmth of her stomach while the news she had given him continued rearranging everything he had once imagined tomorrow would contain.
Perhaps heaven had grown curious.
One distant star seemed brighter than before, gleaming with enough brilliance to distinguish itself from its innumerable companions, though neither of the two below ever raised their heads long enough to see it.
Moonlight spilled across the lake and formed a trembling silver road toward the wooden dock, the water carrying that celestial glow all the way to their feet.
Heaven could have saved itself the effort.
