─═✧✧═─ 𝔽𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝟙𝟡𝟙𝟚 ─═✧✧═─

A Year and a Minute

The days had blurred into weeks, and the weeks into months. For Mia and Henry, their lives together had blossomed into something beautiful—built on shared laughter, countless conversations, and a deep, unspoken understanding that had only grown stronger with time.

In Henry's world, an entire year had passed since the day Mia first woke up in 1912, a time so foreign yet so familiar to her now. They had grown inseparable, their love deepening with each moment spent side by side. But despite the joy of their shared life, Mia always felt a strange, underlying tension. Because while it had been a full year in 1912, she knew it had only been 365 minutes—barely six hours—in her world.

That morning, she found herself standing in the middle of the garden behind Henry's house, the place that had become their refuge. The autumn leaves were beginning to fall, and the crisp air reminded her of the season that was likely still unfolding back in 2024. The thought sent a shiver through her—not from the cold, but from the realisation that she was living in two different realities, and time was ticking differently in both.

Henry appeared beside her, his presence grounding her in the moment. "You're quiet today," he said softly, reaching for her hand. His fingers wrapped around hers, warm and comforting.

Mia smiled, though her heart felt heavy. "I've just been thinking."

"About?"

"About us. About everything." She hesitated, glancing up at him. "It's been a year here, Henry. But... in my world, it's only been a few hours."

Henry's expression softened. He had always known that Mia was from another time, and while they rarely spoke about it, the weight of that truth was something they both carried. "I know," he said quietly, squeezing her hand. "I've thought about that too."

Mia took a deep breath, the cold air filling her lungs. "Sometimes I wonder what's happening back in my world. I wonder if my dad has noticed I'm gone. If he's worried. And yet... here, it feels like I've lived an entire life with you."

Henry's jaw tensed, his gaze dropping to the ground. "Do you... regret it?" he asked after a long pause.

Mia quickly shook her head, her grip on his hand tightening. "No. I don't regret a single second with you. But I can't ignore the fact that I'm still tied to another world, to a life that's continuing without me."

Henry's eyes met hers, filled with an unspoken fear of what that could mean. "Mia, I love you. And I know that our situation is... complicated. But whatever happens, whatever choice you have to make, I'll support you. Always."

She felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. "I don't know if I'm ready to make that choice, Henry. I don't know if I can choose between this life with you and the life I left behind."

Henry pulled her into a tight embrace, resting his chin on top of her head. "You don't have to choose today. Or tomorrow. But when the time comes, just know that I'll stand by whatever you decide."

They stood like that for a long time, surrounded by the quiet beauty of the garden. Mia closed her eyes, trying to savour the moment—the feel of Henry's arms around her, the scent of the earth and fallen leaves, the way the world seemed to hold its breath for them. But the weight of time hung over her, as heavy as it had ever been.

As the day drifted into evening, Mia and Henry returned inside, where the warm light of the fireplace flickered in the study. They sat together, their usual easy conversation giving way to a contemplative silence. The reality of time slipping away in two different worlds was impossible to ignore.

Suddenly, the phone on the desk—the very one that had connected Mia to Henry's world—rang. The sound was jarring, echoing through the quiet room like a reminder of the bridge between the two times. Mia's heart leapt, her body freezing for a moment. It had been so long since the phone had rung that she had nearly forgotten about it.

Henry looked at her, concerned in his eyes. "Do you think... it's your world calling?"

Mia hesitated, unsure of what she might find on the other end of the line. Slowly, she walked over to the desk and picked up the receiver, pressing it to her ear.

There was silence at first. Then, a familiar voice broke through.

"Mia? Mia, where have you been?"

It was her father's voice. Her heart skipped a beat.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" he continued, his voice strained with worry. "You disappeared hours ago. Where are you?"

Mia's throat tightened. To her father, it had only been hours. But to her, it had been a year. A year filled with memories, with love, with Henry.

"I... I'm okay, Dad," Mia managed to say, her voice shaking. "I'm safe."

"Where are you?" her father demanded. "You've made me worried sick!"

Mia closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the moment crashing down on her. She glanced at Henry, who watched her with an expression of quiet understanding.

"I'm... somewhere far away," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll be back soon."

The words felt like a lie. She didn't know if she could go back, or even if she wanted to. But she couldn't leave her father without an answer, and she couldn't ignore the pull of her old life forever.

"I love you, Dad," she said softly, before hanging up the phone.

As the receiver clicked back into place, Mia felt a surge of conflicting emotions. She turned to Henry, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"What do I do?" she whispered.

Henry stood and crossed the room, taking her hands in his. "Whatever you choose, Mia, you'll always have me. We'll figure it out—together."

Mia nodded, though her heart was torn between the life she had built with Henry and the one she had left behind. The future was unclear, and the decision weighed heavily on her shoulders.

But for now, she would hold on to this moment, knowing that love—whether in 1912 or 2024—was the only constant that mattered.

As they stood together, the fire crackling softly in the background, Mia knew that whatever came next, they would face it hand in hand.