97. (Clay POV)

As I stood there, my parents' car idling on the gravel path that led away from our home, the atmosphere felt thick with the unspoken, charged with emotions that words could barely contain. My dad's eyes met mine, a world of understanding exchanged in that glance. "Call anytime, son," he said, the simple words carrying a lifetime of meaning.

Meanwhile, my mother was a whirlwind of maternal wisdom, dispensing advice to Lexi and Luke as if her words could form a protective shield around them. Her voice was tinged with a loving concern that only a mother could offer, and it settled in the pit of my stomach, a poignant reminder of the ephemeral nature of these family gatherings.

As I tried to absorb the emotional textures of the moment, I noticed Luke lean down to whisper something to Lexi. I didn't need to hear the words; Lexi's face, her eyes, told me everything. I could see her nod softly, her eyes meeting Luke's in a moment of mutual understanding, and my heart sank.

Soon after my pare