Tangled In Time

An Unbreakable Bond

8th December 1919

Three more agonizing months have passed, and with each day, the weight on my chest grows heavier. It's as if an invisible vice is constricting around my heart, squeezing the life out of my once joyful existence. The impending separation from Cecilia feels like a massive boulder, pressing the air from my lungs with relentless force.

I've made futile attempts to share my news with her on many occasions. Every time I gaze upon her face, radiant with her infectious laughter and vibrant spirit, I'm paralyzed by the thought of causing her pain. But today, the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken words, and the knowledge that I can no longer keep this agonizing secret hidden became unbearable. With a heavy heart and trembling hands, I embarked on the heart-wrenching task of baring my soul to Cecilia. It was as if I were trying to unravel my own heart from the tangled mess of emotions within me.

As I spoke, I observed Cecilia's transformation – her features shifted from curiosity to the heart-wrenching realization that tears were inevitable. Her eyes, once brimming with hope, now overflowed with sorrow. Her pain became my own as I watched her trust in me shatter like fragile glass. Witnessing her tears, I felt utterly powerless, a witness to the devastation I'd unwittingly wrought.

Cecilia, who had already escaped the torment of her own time, now found herself ensnared by yet another tormentor – the inexorable demands of societal convention. She was forced to relinquish the love she'd only just discovered, buried in history. The bitter injustice of our situation weighed heavily on both of us.

Our final moments together unveiled the full extent of the excruciating choice I had to make. The harsh reality of my family's unyielding expectations stole the very breath from my lungs. Duty, devoid of the warm embrace of love, demanded my betrothal to another – a union dictated not by the heart but by tradition. The painful knowledge that I had no choice in the matter added salt to my wounds, and it felt as though my heart was shattering, bit by bit, with every passing second.

Resentment for the constraints that bound me bubbled within, and the agony of our impending parting gnawed at my soul relentlessly. It was impossible to escape the feeling that our love was being sacrificed on the altar of propriety, that we were prisoners in a world where the dictates of the heart were forbidden.

Amidst her anguish, Cecilia yearned for the familiar embrace of her own time, the world she knew, a place where my love would forever remain out of reach. Unable to be with me, she is choosing instead to brave the unforgiving unknown of her era, displaying a stoic resolve that humbled me. It was a testament to the sacrifices we both had to make, the love we had to set aside, and the art of surviving in a world where the heart's desires could be thwarted by the merciless hand of fate.

I was so absorbed by the words that I didn't even realize tears were streaming down my face until Blake's concerned voice pulled me away from the melancholic world of the past. I looked up to find Blake standing there, his eyes filled with worry. Accepting the tissue he offered, I attempted to wipe away the tears, but they seemed inexhaustible. The heartbreak contained in those letters had washed over me, and I felt overwhelmed.

"I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice quivering as I held up the journal entry in my hand. "This is... so sad." I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the emotions slowly lift from my shoulders. Glancing around the room, I noticed the sunlight streaming through the windows, casting warm patches of light on the floor.

Blake ran his hands through his hair.

"I know," We remained in silence for a few more moments.

"I think we need a break" Blake said suddenly into the silence. He rubbed his face and then looked out the front window of the cottage. "Let's go on a walk and get some fresh air."