The Longest Night Alone

I must have dozed at some point, because the next thing I knew the room had gone darker and my neck hurt from the couch arm. The tea was cold. My phone battery had dropped to red.

I sat up and rubbed my face. The party came back with the light.

The cake.
The candles.
My brother standing there like he belonged to the whole night.
Me with my wrapped gift, waiting for somebody to say my name.

I looked at the time. Past two.

Lena was asleep upstairs. Her door was shut. The blanket had slid to the floor.

I lay back down and kept my eyes open.

Nothing changed. That was the worst part. No apology arrived. No message. No knock at the door. The house stayed empty and patient, and I kept hearing my mother’s voice in pieces.

Older.
Stop ruining the moment.
If you leave—

I turned onto my side and pressed my hand to my mouth until the trembling in my jaw eased.

Outside, something shifted against the window. Wind, maybe. Or a branch.

I stayed awake until morning.