Noctisardor Bypass Sitting here underneath the bridge

it hurt. 
for a moment heda had enjoyed the surprise of something from anselm that was not warm, but not his usual dismissive coldness. for a moment there was hope in his statement that amadeo was indeed interrupting — something?
but then he was leaving, his tense departure a blow almost physical. why?
"anselm," she murmured, more of a hand halfway reaching toward a closed door than a true goodbye.
tears threatened, pressing against the back of her eyes; lashes fluttered with the effort and she cleared her throat before she turned back to amadeo.
"we were talking about my mentor there, you remember. the one who didn't baptize me." and try as she might, digging at the roots of her for some sunshine to throw into her words, she couldn't. "sweetharbor was the island that god gave to my husband and our children," heda murmured on, plucking herself from the sultry shore of the stream and falling into a meandering step that headed slowly back toward the rendezvous. "such a beautiful place. it lives inside my heart."
was anselm mad about etienne? surely he'd be back. or maybe he was angry at amadeo over something else? her mouth fell silent as her thoughts churned.