PEACE AND LOVE

Gabriel

Mia walked in, her steps soft against the floor. I could feel the tension she carried, like a heavy cloak draped around her. She sat beside me, her presence a comforting warmth.

"Mia," I started, not sure how to broach the subject of Caleb and Kiara. It had been gnawing at me, eating away the peace I so desperately sought in our sanctuary.

She turned to me, her eyes searching mine. "Gabriel, we need to talk about Caleb and Kiara," she said, her voice steady but gentle.

I sighed, a deep, weary sound. "I've told them both, Mia. I've made it clear. They went behind my back, against my wishes."

Mia took my hand, her grip firm. "I know, Gabriel. I know you're hurt. But think about it, love. They found something in each other, something rare. Can't we, shouldn't we, be happy for them?"

I wanted to resist, to hold onto my anger and betrayal, but the earnestness in Mia's voice, the genuine concern in her eyes, it made the walls I'd built start to crumble.

"They disobeyed me, Mia. As t