Chapter 12

Chapter 12

When morning came, Jonathan woke up feeling the usual burden of frustration settling in his chest. His thoughts circled back to his brother, Nathaniel—always Nathaniel. Whenever he felt like this, he had one place to go—Laura. She had always been his solace. And so, without thinking too much, Jonathan grabbed his jacket and headed toward the Levines' house, his mind set on finding comfort.

He knocked on the door, expecting the usual, a quiet exchange with Mrs. Levine before getting to Laura. But to his surprise, when the door swung open, Mrs. Levine's face broke into a warm smile. "Oh, hello, Jonathan. Come in, come in," she said, her voice filled with a kindness that threw him off balance.

Jonathan blinked, confused. Just the other day, she had barely let him in, her manner cool and hesitant. But now, there was no trace of that hesitation—only an open, welcoming gesture that felt strangely... different. He hesitated for a moment, but then stepped inside, feeling a growing