1.   After a brief silence, Katherine nodded.

2.   After a brief silence, she made another suggestion.

3.   I had to wait for a brief silence between cuts to pound on the doorframe.

4.   There was a brief silence before anyone answered.

5.   There was a brief silence like an indrawn breath.

6.   There was a brief silence, then Gerald spoke up.

7.   There was a brief stunned silence, and then the entire family went into fits of laughter.

8.   There was a brief silence.