One Last Chance

Almost There

As promised, a new Iphone arrived at the house early in the morning. Charlotte didn't know what strings Engfa pulled for the phone to arrive at the crack of dawn, but she woke up early enough to see the delivery man at the door when she took a walk.

When the man left, Charlotte looked at the box in her hands. Neither happy nor sad, she simply looked at the phone in numbness. It felt transactional. If she could choose, she would choose to see Engfa over any gifts in the world.

Quietly, she sat at the patio to set up her phone. She carefully transferred her sim card from her old phone to another and exhaled a breath of relief when all her previous data was revived as normal. First, she checked her precious gallery to see if her pictures remained. She would have been heartbroken if her pictures with Engfa disappeared.

Grateful they were still there, Charlotte took some time caressing Engfa's face through the screen with a melancholy smile. Then, she checked her messages with a heavy heart. She was afraid to see nothing from her girlfriend but was happily surprised to see Engfa had left her a long message from last night.

She read through the messages three times. First to scan through the context, second to read very slowly to take in every single word, and finally to allow herself to feel the emotions behind Engfa's words. Engfa Waraha had a way of breaking her with her indifference, yet at the same had a magnitude of sincerity and love to pull her back into her orbit with her words and actions. She could feel her love, care and guilt in her words.

She wasn't sure if she was too forgiving as a person, but she needed Engfa as much as Engfa needed her. This longing in her, the ache in her heart that only this person could soothe and fulfill, she didn't think anyone would understand. It wasn't that she couldn't survive being single, or she was not ‘complete’ by herself. It's just…

Engfa was not just her girlfriend,

Engfa was her soulmate.

Emotional, she texted her girlfriend with an aching heart.

“Is Fa awake?”

She bit her lips and was surprised once again to see her girlfriend typing. It was just a few minutes after 6am.

“You got the phone?”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

She watched as the dots appeared and disappeared a few times, it gave her a little comfort knowing her girlfriend was nervous and as helpless with the situation as her.

“Can we talk?”

Charlotte let out a shaky breath, anxiety swarmed over her like a tsunami crashing on the beach. Her fingers trembled as she typed,

“I don't want to fight anymore.”

Immediately, Engfa replied.

“We won't, we're not going to fight.”

“I just want to hear your voice.”

“Is that okay?”

Charlotte looked at the triple texts that were sent consecutively. The way Engfa asked for permission to talk to her was cute and appreciated.

“Okay.”

The phone rang soon after her text was delivered, Charlotte picked up the phone.
For a moment, there was only the sound of two women breathing.

Very softly, Engfa's nervous and weak voice called out her name. “Char…”

“Mm, I'm here.” She replied just as softly. She wrapped her cardigan closer to her body.