Remy slowly opened her eyes, blinking against the brightness, and turned her head to find Drea still asleep next to her. For the first time in days, a sense of peace settled over her, but beneath it all, there was still the lingering heaviness from the argument.
She watched Drea for a moment, her chest tightening as she thought back to the night before. The grand gesture had been a step in the right direction, but Remy knew it would take more than one romantic evening to heal the rift between them. Trust, once cracked, wasn't easily restored. She sighed softly, brushing a hand through her short hair, her mind already racing with thoughts of what she could do next.
Drea stirred beside her, her eyes fluttering open as she stretched. She rolled over to face Remy, her expression soft but still clouded with uncertainty.
"Morning," Remy whispered, a tentative smile on her lips.
"Morning," Drea replied quietly, her voice still laced with the remnants of sleep. She didn't pull away, but there was a distance in her eyes that hadn't been there before.
Remy's heart sank a little at the sight, but she knew this was part of the process. "How are you feeling?" she asked carefully, not wanting to push too hard but needing to know where Drea's head was.
Drea hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting to the ceiling as she let out a long breath. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Last night was beautiful, and I really appreciate everything you did. But it's... it's going to take time, Remy. I'm still hurt."
Remy nodded, already expecting that response. "I understand, babe," she said softly. "I know I can't fix everything with one night. But I'm here, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between us."
Drea glanced at her, her eyes searching Remy's face as if she were trying to gauge her sincerity. "I just—" she paused, biting her lip as she sat up, pulling the covers around her. "I don't want to feel like I'm fighting for you anymore. I don't want to feel like I'm not enough."
Remy's chest tightened at Drea's words, guilt swirling in her stomach. "You've never had to fight for me," she said quickly, sitting up beside her. "You're more than enough. You've always been more than enough. I'm the one who's been slipping, and that's on me. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."
Drea looked at her for a long moment, her lips pressed together in a thin line. She nodded slowly, though her eyes still held traces of doubt. "I hope so," she said quietly. "Because I can't go through this again."
"I swear, you won't have to," Remy promised, reaching out to gently take Drea's hand. "I'm going to show you that I'm all in. I know I messed up, but I'm going to prove to you that I'm serious about us."
Drea squeezed Remy's hand but remained silent, her thoughts clearly weighing heavily on her. Remy leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her wife's forehead, hoping that even the smallest gesture would bring them a little closer to where they once were.
The day passed slowly, both of them tiptoeing around each other, unsure of how to navigate the emotional terrain. Remy did her best to give Drea the space she needed while still showing her affection in small, meaningful ways. She cooked breakfast, made sure the house was clean, and even took over some of the tasks Drea usually handled, like folding the laundry.
But despite her efforts, there was still a wall between them—one that couldn't be torn down with chores or kind words alone. It would take time, Remy reminded herself. She just had to be patient.
Later that evening, after a mostly quiet day, Drea was sitting on the couch with her phone in hand, scrolling through social media, while Remy finished up some work emails on her laptop. The TV was on, but neither of them was really paying attention to it. The silence between them had grown more comfortable, but the tension from their argument still lingered like a faint shadow.
