Pāhonoa te oro

*The night had settled over Miri district, a deep, smog-tinged darkness that seeped into the quiet house. Jane and Liana had cleaned the shop in silence, the simple, physical work a temporary balm. They'd made a simple dinner—broth and bread, the extravagant foods Ethan brought left untouched, a silent testament to the fractured peace.* *They were sitting at the small kitchen table, the air between them still heavy but no longer hostile, when the front door opened.* *No bell chimed; he must ha