Lisa stayed still for a moment, feeling his hands, listening to his voice, letting the silence stretch just a little longer.
Then, quietly, almost as if the question slipped out on its own, she asked:
"Where is your wife?"
Ron’s hands stopped.
Not abruptly. Just… paused.
The air shifted again.
Lisa opened her eyes slightly, suddenly unsure if she shouldn’t have asked.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t—"
"It’s okay," he said.
His voice was different now. Still calm, but heavier.
A brief silence.
"She died," he said. "A long time ago."
Lisa turned her head just a little, enough to glance back at him.
"I didn’t know…"
"Not many people do," he replied.
His hands slowly resumed, but softer this time. Less firm. More thoughtful.
"I was away a lot back then," he added after a moment. "Work. Life… things happen."
Lisa looked down at her hands again.
"I’m sorry," she said quietly.
Ron didn’t answer right away.
Then:
"It was a long time ago."
But something in his tone said it still mattered.
The room felt different now. Not just tense—but deeper. More real.
Lisa felt it in her chest, that strange pull again. But now it wasn’t just curiosity.
It was something warmer. More complicated.
"I didn’t mean to bring it up," she said softly.
"You didn’t do anything wrong."
His fingers moved gently along her neck again, slower than before.
Lisa closed her eyes.
"I just… wondered," she admitted.
Another pause.
Then, almost without thinking, she added:
"You don’t seem like someone who’s alone."
Ron let out a faint breath, something close to a quiet smile—but not quite.
"People can seem like a lot of things."
Lisa tilted her head slightly under his touch.
"I guess."
Silence settled again—but it didn’t feel empty.
It felt… charged.
Lisa’s voice softened.
"Do you ever feel it?" she asked.
"Feel what?"
She hesitated.
Then said it anyway:
"When something just… changes. Like the room is the same, but it isn’t anymore."
Ron didn’t answer immediately.
His hands slowed, almost still now.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I know what you mean."
Lisa’s heartbeat picked up again.
She didn’t move away.
"It feels like that now," she admitted, barely above a whisper.
Another pause.
Ron’s voice dropped just slightly.
"Careful," he said. "That kind of feeling… can pull you in."
Lisa swallowed softly.
"I think I already feel it."
And this time, she didn’t open her eyes.