Right Under Their Feet

They had walked over that space a hundred times—every trip from the kitchen to the nursery. Every night, Mia had stood at the crib, rocking Ava back to sleep. Every morning, Jake had passed through with coffee in hand, never thinking twice about the floor beneath him. Now, knowing Nimbus had been there all along, the house felt different.

It wasn’t just about a snake anymore. It was about how close he had been. Not outside but always just below. Jake stood up slowly, wiping his palms on his jeans. He didn’t say it out loud, but Mia felt it too—this house had been shared.