The house is quieter. Not quieter because there’s less noise. Quieter because everyone seems to breathe differently.
You hear a car in the driveway. A door closes. Keys. The front door opens. Without thinking, you listen.
Some evenings nothing happens. Dinner is made. The television is on. Everyone goes to bed.
Other evenings, everyone gets a little quieter before anyone says a word. When they’re working late, nobody talks about it.
The evening just unfolds.