Never Not You

Home alone

When Leah finally got home, the emptiness of the house hit her like a wave. She had driven home in a daze, her mind numb to the journey. She couldn't even remember the drive, just the haunting silence that greeted her as she walked through the door.

The house was eerily quiet, a stark contrast to the laughter and joy that had once filled it. Aurora and Mateo were gone. The emptiness of the space seemed to echo their absence, amplifying the weight of Leah's sorrow.

Without even thinking, Leah tossed her keys onto a nearby table, not caring where they landed. She moved through the house with heavy steps, each room a reminder of what she had lost. When she reached the lounge, her gaze fell on Mateo's crib, and more specifically, the small teddy bear left behind.

She picked up the teddy bear, clutching it to her chest as if it might somehow bridge the gap between her and her missing family. The soft fabric was a tangible connection to Mateo, a reminder of the little boy she'd miss so much. The sight of the teddy bear, so innocently left behind, was more than Leah could bear.

As the tears began to fall, Leah sank to the floor, her body shaking with silent sobs. The house felt hollow and cold, the silence deafening in its magnitude. Each tear that fell was a testament to her heartache, to the profound sense of loss and longing she felt.

In that moment, Leah allowed herself to break down fully, her cries filling the empty space as she clung to the teddy bear. The tears were a release, a way to express the depth of her pain and the enormity of the void left by Aurora and Mateo's absence.

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Leah's tears had finally slowed to a trickle as she lay curled up on the living room floor, the teddy bear still clutched in her arms. She must have fallen asleep there, exhaustion and grief having overtaken her. When she stirred to the sound of someone gently shaking her awake, the morning light filtering through the windows seemed foreign and harsh.

Opening her eyes, Leah saw her mother, Amanda, standing over her with a look of concern etched deeply on her face. Without a word, Leah lunged into her mother's embrace, her sobs breaking free once more. The warmth of Amanda's arms was a stark contrast to the cold emptiness of the house, and Leah clung to her as if she were a lifeline.

Amanda stroked Leah's hair soothingly, her own heart breaking at the sight of her daughter's distress. "What's wrong, honey? What happened?" Amanda asked gently, her voice a soft balm amidst Leah's sobs.

Leah tried to speak through her tears, her words coming out in choked fragments. "She's gone... they've left... Aurora and Mateo... everything happened so fast," Leah managed to explain, her voice trembling. She recounted the painful farewell, her desperate pleas, and the crushing emptiness she felt after Aurora's departure.

Amanda listened, her eyes filled with sympathy and concern. She held Leah tighter, trying to offer whatever comfort she could. "Oh, sweetheart," Amanda said softly, her voice breaking with emotion. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you."

She continued to hold Leah close, her presence a steady anchor in the storm of Leah's grief.