Bruce sat in the dim light of his sitting room, his hand gripping the edge of the table, a half-drained bottle beside him. The air smelled faintly of smoke and aged wine. The silence in the house was so thick that even his breathing sounded too loud.

While Xavier and Lisa, who had come to visit and perhaps cheer him up, sat idly by.

They gave up in Their second attempt to distract him when he rejected playing video games. Nothing seemed to elevate his mood or distract him

For over a week, he ...