Margot signed something teasing, and Lena responded instantly, fingers flicking in a regional style Evan barely recognized. His mother let out a silent giggle, shoulders shaking. Evan watched the exchange, feeling that odd tug in his chest again. Whatever Lena tried to hide, his mother had already slipped past her defenses.
When they left, Margot tapped Evan’s wrist twice in firm insistence. He understood the gesture well enough. She wanted to come back tomorrow. Margot rarely asked for repeat outings. Routines tired her; unfamiliar environments exhausted her. Yet here she was, eager to return to a place defined by a stranger.