Portia didn’t really care one way or the other, but her dad, not wanting to offend Uriah, kept inviting him to stay for dinner. The other night, when Uriah still refused to leave, the whole family ended up dozing off together in the living room, just waiting him out. It wasn’t until the middle of the night, when he finally realized everyone was ready to drop, that he grudgingly left.

“I’ll go talk to Mavis,” Portia said. “If she’s willing to see you, I’ll bring her out. If she’s not, well, there’s nothing else I can do.”

Uriah didn’t reply, so Portia turned and headed inside.

Upstairs, Mavis had been watching everything play out from her bedroom window that overlooked the garden. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could guess—after all, what else would they be talking about but her? Uriah looked as stubborn as ever, determined not to leave.

Sure enough, Portia soon returned inside. A few minutes later, Mavis heard a knock at her door.

"Mavis, he just won't go," Portia said, dropping into a chair and rubbing her chin as she watched her friend. "He’s insisting on seeing you. We can’t keep doing this forever. Honestly, his point seems to be: unless you come clean, unless your memory returns, he’s not going to back down. The man’s obsessed."

Portia sighed. "Do you think he suspects you’re pretending? Is that why he’s being so relentless? What do you want to do—keep avoiding him, or finally talk to him? Whatever you decide, we’ll do what you want."

Mavis heaved a sigh. “He’s probably guessed,” she admitted. “If I keep hiding, he’ll just keep coming. This is never going to stop.”

She didn’t know exactly what kind of answer Uriah was after, but by now, his persistence made it obvious: he wouldn’t leave until he got it.

"I'll go talk to him," Mavis said quietly, her mind made up. "Avoiding him isn't going to solve anything. If what he wants is to talk to the real me—the me who remembers everything—then that’s what I’ll give him."

She managed a small, grateful smile. "Besides, I’m mostly back to normal now. Portia, thank you. I really have imposed on everyone far too long. I ought to move back home soon."

Portia looked at her, a little wistful. "Stay as long as you like, okay? Our house is your house."

know: Ive always thought of it that way: But the longer stay; the mdre it feelsdike Im overstaying my weldome I Il come over dnd visikall thetime; prornise; avis Id with a smile. Content belongs to SWnovels net

"Alright," Portia said, understanding all too well that living with someone else’s family could be overwhelming.

"I'll go find Uriah and talk things over with him. I’ll move home tomorrow," Mavis said.

Portia nodded. "Sounds good."

Mavis headed downstairs, and when she reached Uriah, she simply said, "Let’s go."

He led herdo his car; and they 'drove off. Portia stood at the doorway; watching them letting outa long sigh there was no telling how that conversation would end; Content belongs to swnoVels net Teave;

In the car; neither of them spoke: Mavis stared out the passenger window; lost in thought as she trieg to decide what she wanted to saf: Uriari kept Lis eyes On the roadand asthe scenery blurred past Mavis stgrted to guess where they might be going:

"You didn't have to take me so far," she said after a while.

Uriah glanced at her, unsurprised that she’d caught on. "It's been a long time. I thought we should go back and take a look."

Mavis nodded, settling into silence and preparing herself for whatever lay ahead.