Five Years of Silence

Avery

Twenty minutes in, his laughter grew quieter. Thirty minutes, and his breathing slowed to the steady rhythm of sleep.

"Out like a light," Mom whispered from her chair, glancing over with a soft smile.

I looked down at Noah, his face peaceful, one hand clutching my sleeve.

"I'll take him to his room," I murmured, carefully extracting myself from the couch.

Noah stirred slightly as I lifted hi