Peter leaned against the counter, his resolve wavering. He had planned to firmly but kindly suggest they leave, but Natalie’s quiet sincerity made the words catch in his throat. “I can help around the house,” she added, glancing over her shoulder. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
His instinct was to refuse. The idea of letting them stay longer unsettled him. Yet, as he watched her carefully dry a plate, her shoulders hunched in exhaustion, he felt the weight of guilt pressing down. “It’s just one more night,” he thought, though he wasn’t convinced.