Whispers

The Truth

Eirini lay on her couch, the unanswered questions pressing heavily on her chest. She had sent a message to Cillian, hoping for reassurance, but when he finally replied, her heart sank at the seriousness of his words.

*"Hey, Eirini. I need to tell you something important. Can we talk?"*

*"Of course. Is everything okay?"* she typed back, anxiety creeping in.

*"Not exactly. Can we meet? I'd rather talk in person."*

Eirini's heart raced. They were miles apart—she in Nafplio and he in Birmingham. She quickly typed, *"I wish we could, but I'm in Greece. Can't we just talk on the phone?"*

*"I think it's best to discuss this face-to-face."*

Frustration bubbled up inside her. *"Cillian, I need to know if something's wrong. Please."*

There was a pause before he replied. *"Okay. Let's have a video call tomorrow at 10?"*

Eirini agreed, but unease gnawed at her. Why couldn't he just tell her over text? The prospect of a serious conversation made her stomach churn.

That night, she tossed and turned, replaying their last moments together. She had felt so connected to him, so safe in his presence. Now, she felt vulnerable and worried. Had she been too trusting?

The next morning, she dressed carefully for the video call, choosing a simple white top that made her feel confident. As the clock ticked closer to 10, anxiety surged within her.

When the call finally connected, Eirini saw Cillian's familiar face on the screen. He looked weary, shadows under his eyes that mirrored her own worry.

"Hey," she greeted, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Hey," he replied, his voice tight.

They stared at each other for a moment, the distance between them palpable. "So, what's going on?" Eirini asked, her heart racing.

Cillian took a deep breath, his gaze shifting. "There are things I didn't tell you. Things I should have been honest about."

Eirini leaned closer, feeling a knot form in her stomach. "Like what?"

He hesitated, then finally said, "Alyssa reached out to me. She said she's pregnant."

Eirini's heart dropped. "What? I thought you were done with her."

"I thought so too," Cillian admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But she caught me off guard. Daniel told me she's been seeing someone else. I don't even know if the baby is mine."

The revelation hit Eirini like a punch to the gut. "And you didn't think to tell me this? You just went silent?"

"I was trying to protect you," he said, his voice urgent. "I didn't want to drag you into my mess. But I realize now that I should have been upfront with you."

Eirini shook her head, feeling hurt and betrayed. "You had a choice, Cillian. You could have included me instead of shutting me out."

"I know," he replied, desperation creeping into his tone. "I messed up. I need you to understand that you mean a lot to me."

"Then why did you leave me in the dark?" she challenged, her voice trembling.

"Because I thought I could handle it on my own. But I can't. I need you to know that I want to be honest with you. I want to figure this out together," he said earnestly.

Eirini felt torn, wanting to believe him but struggling with the sting of his silence. "I don't know, Cillian. You've put me in a position I never wanted to be in."

"Take your time to process everything," he said softly. "But please know that I care about you and want to make things right."

She nodded, but frustration bubbled within her. "Cillian, it's not just about processing this. It's about trust. You should have told me everything instead of waiting until it became impossible to ignore. I feel like I've been a fool to believe in you."

His expression turned pained. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"And instead, you've hurt me by keeping me in the dark," Eirini said, her voice rising. "I thought we had something real. Now I'm left questioning everything."

Cillian opened his mouth to respond, but she could see the words falter on his lips. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unresolved feelings.

"Maybe I need some space to think," Eirini finally said, feeling tears well in her eyes. "I don't know if I can deal with this right now."

"Eirini, please—"

But she had already disconnected the call. As she sat in her dimly lit living room, Eirini realized that the distance between them was not just physical; it had become emotional, too.