July came in hot and slow. The lilacs were long gone, replaced by the heavy green of full summer. Elias had started leaving the windows open at night, and the house often smelled like cut grass and warm earth. Amina was home for most of the month. She had arrived in mid-June with two suitcases and a quiet determination to actually stay this time instead of hovering between leaving and remaining.
She had been clear from the beginning: she still needed space some days. We respected that completely. Some mornings she came downstairs and joined us for breakfast. Other mornings she stayed in her room until afternoon and only appeared for dinner. We never asked why. We simply made sure there was always food left for her and the porch light stayed on.
On the fourth day of her visit, she found u
