I kissed the top of her head.
“I love you too.”
That evening, after everyone had gone home, I remained behind.
The building was quiet.
Soft sunlight fell through the windows.
I walked through the classrooms.
The workshop.
The reading room.
The community kitchen.
Then I stopped beside a long wooden table.
It had been made by Julian and his students.
There were twelve chairs around it.
Each one was beautifully crafted.
But at the far end, there was a thirteenth chair.
Different from the others.
Its back was carved with a little heart.
I touched it.
Julian appeared in the doorway.
“Do you like it?”
I smiled.
“It's beautiful.”
He approached.
“Lucy designed it.”
I looked at him.
“She did?”
He nodded.
“She said every table needed one extra chair.”
My eyes filled.
Julian continued.
“And she wanted this one to be yours.”
I stared at the chair.
Then sat down.
