In the Shadow Of Memory

Chapter 15

Monday evening found Mia and Tanya in their apartment, preparing for dinner. Daisy returned home later than usual, and there was a noticeable shift in her demeanor. She was quiet and seemed distant, her usual vibrant energy replaced by a subdued mood.

As they sat down to eat, Tanya shot Mia several concerned glances, her curiosity evident. Tanya finally broke the silence, trying to engage Daisy. "Hey, Daisy, how was work today? How's Lucas?"

Daisy shrugged, barely lifting her eyes from her plate as she picked at her salad. "Work was fine. Lucas is... well, he's dry. Not much to say about him."

Mia exchanged a glance with Tanya, both puzzled by Daisy's lack of enthusiasm. Tanya tried to fill the gap with conversation. "Did you get a chance to work on your project? How's that going?"

Daisy nodded absently. "It's going okay. Just a lot to manage."

Mia jumped in, trying to steer the conversation to something more engaging. "You mentioned a new client you were working with last week. How did that go?"

Daisy's expression didn't change. "It went as expected. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Tanya and Mia continued to chat, discussing their own work and the latest happenings in their lives. They laughed about a funny incident at Mia's job and shared updates on Tanya's family trip.

Daisy remained quiet, her focus on finishing her salad. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke up, her tone flat. "I'll see more about Lucas as time goes on. For now, he seems more interested in work than anything else. I guess that's just how he is."

She stood up, clearing her plate and heading to the sink. "I've got a lot of studying to do. Exams are coming up." Without waiting for a response, she washed her dishes and retreated to her room, leaving Tanya and Mia alone at the table.

Mia watched Daisy go, feeling a pang of guilt as she thought about her own recent struggles. Her grades had slipped a bit, and she hadn't been as focused on her studies as she'd hoped. The stress of the investigation and the demands of her new life had taken a toll.

Tanya broke the silence, glancing at Mia with concern. "Do you think everything's okay with Daisy?"

Mia shrugged. "I don't know. She seemed really off tonight. Maybe she's just stressed."

Tanya nodded but didn't look entirely convinced. "Yeah, maybe. It's hard to tell sometimes."

Mia sighed, feeling the weight of her own worries. "I guess we all have a lot going on. I need to get back to studying too. Can't let my grades slip any further."

Tanya reached over, giving Mia's hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll figure things out. Let's just keep an eye on Daisy and be there for her."

Mia nodded, appreciative of Tanya's support. "Thanks. I'll talk to her if I get the chance. Maybe she just needs some time."

As the evening wore on, Mia returned to her studies, her mind preoccupied with both her academic challenges and Daisy's apparent troubles. The pressures of life seemed to be mounting, but she was determined to push through, one day at a time.