Chapter 6
The Hearth's Warmth
Muliazas shares a peaceful lunch with Aldona, returns to his village, and has a final conversation with Senoji Akis. He finds closure, forgives himself, and embraces the quiet beauty of his everyday life, symbolized by his kitchen.
The next morning, Muliazas woke to the sound of gulls and the distant crash of waves. Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting pale stripes across the floor. He lay still for a moment, feeling the unfamiliar calm that had settled in his chest. The stone from his pocket sat on the nightstand, and he picked it up, running his thumb over its smooth surface. It no longer felt like a weight. It felt like a touchstone.
He dressed slowly, choosing a clean shirt and combing his thinning grey hair. In the mirror, his eyes—one wandering slightly, a lifelong companion of his divergent gaze—looked back at him with a steadiness he had not seen in years. He had spent decades avoiding his own reflection, but today he met it without flinching.
Piyonas was already in the small dining room, nursing a cup of coffee. He looked up as Muliazas entered. "You slept well."
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