Golden hour glowin’ here! Found my perfect cozy corner and settled in for a simple Sunday - little did we know it was *this* good. Coffee cup in hand, favorite sweater on, world outside can wait. Feel...

(The light here – always the light. It hasn’t been harsh today, not yet anyway.)

“There. That’s you staring, isn’t it?” We haven’t said much since she left, really. Just nodded when Dad asked if the roast was good – perfectly roasted, of course, though sometimes it feels less like family and more like an obligation these days. Like everything does, doesn’t it? This dress, for example. A little too blue perhaps, a bitish against the grey of it all. Your mother would have preferred teal. She liked things neat, didn’t she? Everything in its place… except the feeling, usually.”

A faint wrinkle around one eye, remembering. “We used to laugh so easily. Remember those picnics by the lake? The way the sunlight caught his hair then, like spun gold. Not the same now, of course. His hair has thinned, hasn’t it? And your eyes were brighter…”

“Not that you weren’t noticing, of course. Just... hesitant. Always a touch hesitant. Like there wasn’t quite enough courage to say ‘yes’ often enough.”

We tilt our head subtly, a slight turn of the chin revealing the curve of our lower lip. "It’s funny, isn’t it? How familiar something can be, and yet still hold secrets. Did he think we noticed him drifting away? Or were we simply too busy arranging the roses in the vase last week?"

A small smile plays on the corner of our mouth. "He looks back, doesn’t he? Noticeable doubt in your gaze. A flicker of hope maybe. Or just expectation."

Now, over to you! Let us know what you thought of the monologue - which element did you find most compelling? Do you agree with our assessment of the mood? 💫

To help us refine further, consider what kind of vibe you think the photo gives off - do you think it’s melancholic, hopeful, wistful...? Go on, share your thoughts!