Leonard sat on the edge of the couch in Katherine's living room with Nathan and Maya nestled between him and Irene. He glanced at the soft glow of the television screen, where a gentle animated movie played, the soft sound filling the room. But his mind was not on the movie—it was on Irene. Her anger is justified, he thought, eyes tracing her features as she set down a tray of snacks.
Irene's grief at Katherine's suffering had turned into fierce protection, and that had extended to Leonard as well. He knew he deserved that hatred—his mistakes had cost her friend everything. And yet, here he was, allowed inside Katherine's home, sharing a moment of uneasy peace because his children's innocent pleas overrode her resistance.
