The Final Gift

Chapter 20: The Strength to Let Go

Irene had always been a constant in Lisa's life. Through every high and low, every heartache and triumph, Irene was there, quietly supporting Lisa without ever asking for anything in return. But as she sat across from Lisa in the dimly lit café, she could see the toll that Jennie's departure had taken on her.

Lisa stared down at her cup of coffee, her fingers tracing the rim absentmindedly. She hadn't spoken much since they met up, and Irene could feel the weight of the unspoken words between them. It was as if the air was thick with everything Lisa wanted to say but couldn't find the strength to voice.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," Irene finally said, breaking the silence. Her voice was soft, but there was an underlying firmness to it. She wanted Lisa to know that she was there, no matter what.

Lisa glanced up, her eyes hollow and tired. "Irene, why does love have to hurt so much?" Her voice cracked, and she looked away quickly, as if ashamed of her vulnerability.

Irene's heart ached at the sight of Lisa's pain. "Love isn't supposed to hurt like this," she said gently. "But sometimes, it does. Sometimes, loving someone means letting them go, even when it tears you apart."

Lisa let out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I tried, Irene. I tried so hard to be what Jennie needed, to be the person she could count on. But in the end, it wasn't enough."

"It wasn't about you not being enough," Irene replied, her voice laced with sadness. "Sometimes, people change. Feelings change. And no matter how much you love someone, you can't stop that from happening."

Lisa nodded, her eyes welling up with tears she refused to let fall. "It just feels like... like I was building her up for someone else. All those moments, all that love, and now she's giving it to Klei."

Irene reached across the table, taking Lisa's hand in hers. She could feel the tremor in Lisa's fingers, the way she was barely holding herself together. "Lisa, you gave Jennie everything you had. You loved her with all your heart. And that love—your love—helped shape who she is. It's a part of her, even if she's with someone else now."

"But what about me?" Lisa whispered, her voice breaking. "What am I supposed to do with all this love I still have for her? How do I move on when it feels like my heart is still stuck in the past?"

Irene squeezed Lisa's hand, her own emotions threatening to spill over. "You don't have to move on all at once. Healing takes time, and it's okay to feel lost right now. But Lisa, you deserve to be happy, too. You deserve to be loved by someone who will never let you go."

Lisa's eyes met Irene's, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them. Irene knew that Lisa didn't see her in that way—that to Lisa, she was just a friend, a confidante. But even so, Irene couldn't help the love that she felt, the way her heart ached for Lisa's pain as if it were her own.

"Irene," Lisa began, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've always been there for me. I don't think I would have made it through any of this without you."

Irene smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "That's what friends are for, right? To help each other through the tough times."

"Yeah," Lisa murmured, her gaze dropping back to her coffee. "Friends."

The word hung in the air, heavy with all the things Irene wished she could say but knew she never would. She had accepted long ago that Lisa didn't feel the same way she did. But that didn't make it any easier to watch the person she loved suffer.

Lisa took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I know I need to let go of Jennie, but it's just... it's hard. It feels like I'm losing a part of myself."

"You're not losing anything, Lisa," Irene said softly. "You're just making space for something new. Something that could bring you the happiness you deserve."

Lisa nodded slowly, though the pain in her eyes remained. "I just don't know if I have the strength to do that."

Irene hesitated for a moment, then spoke with a tenderness that she rarely allowed herself to show. "Lisa, you're stronger than you think. You've been through so much, and you're still standing. That takes a kind of strength that not everyone has. And even if it takes time, I know you'll find a way to heal. You have so much love to give, and one day, someone will come along who will cherish that love the way it deserves to be cherished."

Lisa looked at Irene, her expression a mix of gratitude and sadness. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Irene. You always know the right thing to say."

Irene smiled, though her heart ached with the weight of her unspoken feelings. "That's because I care about you, Lisa. I just want you to be happy."

Lisa returned the smile, though it was tinged with sorrow. "I'll try, Irene. I'll try to be happy again."

As they finished their coffee, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, though the underlying pain never fully disappeared. Irene did her best to keep things light, to make Lisa smile, even if it was just for a moment. But as they parted ways outside the café, Irene couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled over her.

She watched Lisa walk away, her shoulders slumped, and her steps heavy with the weight of everything she had lost. And Irene knew that, for now, all she could do was stand by and offer her support. But deep down, she wished that she could be the one to heal Lisa's heart, to be the person Lisa turned to when the nights were long and the pain too much to bear.

But Irene also knew that some things weren't meant to be. And as much as it hurt, she would continue to be the friend Lisa needed, even if it meant hiding her own feelings away. Because in the end, Irene's love for Lisa wasn't about getting something in return. It was about giving, about being there when Lisa needed her most.

And that was a role Irene would fulfill, no matter how much it broke her heart.