Innocence Awakened

The Return

The two weeks passed faster than Ethan had anticipated. The time he spent with Sophia had been filled with adventure, passion, and a sense of freedom he hadn't experienced in years. But now, as the days dwindled and Emily's return loomed closer, the reality of his situation began to weigh heavily on him. He knew that his time with Sophia, at least in the way they had been living, was coming to an end.

On the last day of their two weeks together, Ethan and Sophia were sitting on the porch, watching the sunset over the horizon. The air was warm, and a gentle breeze rustled through the trees. It was a moment of peace, but also of looming uncertainty.

"These two weeks have been incredible," Sophia said softly, her voice tinged with a mix of joy and sadness. She looked at Ethan, her eyes searching his. "Will it always be like this if I become your wife?"

Ethan smiled, reaching over to take her hand in his. "Of course, silly," he replied, trying to inject some lightness into his tone. "We'll have even more time together, and we'll make it even better."

Sophia smiled back, though there was a lingering question in her eyes. After a pause, she asked, "Ethan, I'm just curious... why didn't you and Emily ever have a child? You've been married for eight years."

Ethan's smile faltered slightly, and he took a deep breath before answering. "Why do you think?" he asked, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Honestly, as Emily and I started drifting apart, the idea of bringing a child into our lives seemed like the wrong decision. Thankfully, we didn't, because I think it would have made everything even more complicated as our relationship started going downhill."

Sophia nodded, absorbing his words. "I guess you're right," she said softly. "It would have been harder... but still, it makes me wonder."

Ethan leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss, trying to dispel the heaviness of the conversation. "We'll figure it out, Sophia," he said quietly. "We'll have our own life, our own family, in time."

Sophia smiled, reassured by his words, but the impending return of Emily hung between them, unspoken. Ethan kissed her one last time before walking her to her car, their hands lingering as they parted.

"I'll see you soon," Ethan promised, watching as she got into her car. She gave him a small wave before driving away, leaving Ethan standing alone in the driveway, the weight of what was coming pressing down on him.

Back inside the house, Ethan took a deep breath and began to clean up. He moved through the rooms with a practised efficiency, making sure everything was back in its place. The house had to look exactly as it had before Emily left as if nothing had changed in her absence. But Ethan knew that everything had changed—at least for him.

By the time he was done, the house was spotless, and there was nothing left to do but wait. He sat on the couch, his mind racing with thoughts of the past two weeks, of the decisions he knew he would have to make soon. The excitement of his time with Sophia was still fresh in his mind, but so was the guilt that had been slowly creeping in. 

A few hours later, Ethan heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. His heart skipped a beat as he stood up, bracing himself for Emily's arrival. The door opened, and there she was, her face lighting up with a smile as she saw him.

"Ethan!" Emily exclaimed, dropping her bags and throwing herself into his embrace.

Ethan caught her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Emily," he murmured, pressing his face into her hair. The familiar scent of her shampoo filled his senses, and for a moment, he felt the guilt of the past two weeks threaten to overwhelm him.

"I missed you so much," Emily said, pulling back just enough to look up at him. Her eyes were bright with emotion, and Ethan could see the genuine happiness in her expression.

"I missed you even more," Ethan replied, his voice thick with emotion. He leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss, pouring everything he felt into that moment. As their lips met, the guilt was pushed aside, replaced by a desperate need to reconnect with the woman he had once loved so deeply.

Emily responded eagerly, her hands tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer. "It's been two long weeks, Ethan," she whispered between kisses. "I missed you."

Ethan didn't reply with words. Instead, he let his actions speak for him. He kissed her harder, his lips trailing down her neck as she moaned softly in response. The familiar rhythm between them took over as he kissed his way down her body, savouring the way she responded to his touch.

When they reached the bedroom, Ethan gently laid Emily down on the bed, his hands already working to remove her clothes. She moaned again as his lips continued their journey south, her body arching into him with need. "Ethan," she gasped, her voice filled with longing. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," Ethan whispered, his voice rough with emotion. He pressed his lips against hers again, his need for her growing with every passing second. As he entered her, he called out her name, his voice filled with a mix of desperation and determination. "Emily... Emily..."

Their bodies moved together in a familiar dance, the intensity of their connection building until they both reached the peak of their passion, climaxing together in a moment of shared release. For that brief moment, everything else faded away, and it was just the two of them, wrapped up in each other.

Emily rested her head on Ethan's chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin.

"That was... amazing," she murmured, a satisfied smile on her lips.

Ethan smiled, though the guilt was already starting to creep back in. "It was," he agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He held her close, trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of his mind that reminded him of what he had done, of what he was still doing.

As they lay there, Emily began to talk about her trip, sharing stories of the people she had met and the places she had visited. She spoke excitedly about the possibilities for the future, and about the opportunities that were opening up for her career.

Ethan listened, nodding and responding when necessary, but his mind was elsewhere. He knew that his time with Emily was limited, that he had already made up his mind to end their marriage after the six months were up. But as he listened to her talk about the future, about the plans she was making, a pang of guilt struck him hard.

He was leading Emily on, giving her hope for a future that he knew he couldn't provide. The thought of breaking her heart, of shattering the life they had built together, made him feel sick to his stomach. 

As Emily finished talking, she looked up at Ethan, her eyes filled with love and trust. "I'm so glad to be home," she said softly. "I missed this... missed us."

Ethan forced a smile, pulling her closer. "I'm glad you're home too," he said, though his heart wasn't in it. The guilt was overwhelming now, threatening to consume him entirely. But he pushed it down, knowing that he still had time—time to figure out how to end things with Emily, time to make a life with Sophia.