Page 96 of The Yoga Teacher

A hand beat her to it.

Large. Familiar.

She looked up.

Daniel.

Her pulse jumped.

He held out the orange, his eyes unreadable.

Something knotted into the lines around his mouth, the hollow under his eyes, the soft collapse of his shoulders.

She reached out and took the orange from him. Their fingers didn’t touch.

“Thanks,” she said, clipped, cool.

He nodded.

And then—for a moment—he just stood there.

She could see him debating whether to speak. The words seemed to catch in his throat. When he finally opened his mouth, his voice was so quiet she almost missed it.

“I know I’m the last person you want to run into. Believe me, I…” He exhaled shakily, eyes fixed somewhere around her elbow. “I imagine this kind of moment all the time. Hoping to see you, anywhere, everywhere.”

She clenched her jaw.

“I just—” He shook his head. “I know I’ve already said it. But I need you to hear it again.” His voice cracked on the last word. “I’m sorry. For everything.”

She didn’t want this. Not from him. Not in this place. Not when she had finally gotten a little peace.

“I’ve heard it,” she said, her voice steady but flat.

Daniel nodded like he’d expected it. Like he deserved worse.

“I know,” he said. “I just… I say it to myself every day. I say it to the walls. To no one. But I needed to say it to you.”

A beat passed. Then another.

Daniel shifted slightly, eyes shining just a little too much in the harsh light. He swallowed, like it hurt.

“I don’t expect anything from you, Hannah. I swear I don’t. I’m not trying to… change anything.” He shook his head again, his voice growing hoarse. “I just wanted you to know I see it now. What I did. What I lost.”

Hannah said nothing.

He took a step back, his shoulders slumping in surrender.

“Take care,” he murmured. “Please.”

And then he turned, the paper bag crinkling in his hand, and walked away.

Hannah stayed there, fingers clenched around the orange he’d handed her like it might slip through her grip if she let herself breathe.

She should be relieved.

He had said his piece. He had left.

So why did she feel like she was still holding something too heavy to carry?

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