When Dreams Collide: Y/N and Elizabeth Olsen RE WRITING

Chapter 20: Elizabeth's POV "Letting Go of Yesterday"

Chapter 20: Elizabeth’s POV – Letting Go of Yesterday

Elizabeth sat on the couch, staring at her phone screen, her heart sinking as she watched the small “read” notification appear under her message to Y/N. No reply. She wasn’t surprised—not really. They were both living separate lives now, and Y/N seemed happier than ever. But still, the sting of being left on read hurt more than she wanted to admit.

She exhaled sharply, tossing her phone onto the coffee table. It landed with a soft thud, face-down, as if hiding the message would somehow make the disappointment disappear.

Beside her, Lucky, her faithful Labrador, shifted slightly, resting his head on her thigh. His warm brown eyes gazed up at her as if sensing her mood. Elizabeth absentmindedly ran her fingers through his soft fur, her mind drifting.

“Guess we didn’t expect a reply, huh, Lucky?” she muttered, scratching behind his ears. The dog let out a small huff, nuzzling into her hand.

She leaned back against the couch, the quiet hum of the evening settling over the apartment. The distant sound of a car passing outside, the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock, the soft rustle of the curtains in the evening breeze—all of it felt painfully normal, like nothing had changed. And yet, everything had.

Just as she was about to push herself off the couch, she heard the familiar jingle of keys in the lock. Moments later, the door swung open, and her husband, Robbie, stepped inside, shaking his head as he set down a few grocery bags.

“You won’t believe the chaos I just went through,” he said, his voice light and amused as he kicked off his shoes. “The store was out of half the stuff we needed. I swear, people panic-buy over the weirdest things. Who hoards spaghetti sauce?”

Elizabeth managed a small chuckle, grateful for his effortless ability to brighten a room. “Leave it to you to turn grocery shopping into a full-blown adventure.”

Robbie grinned and made his way over, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead before plopping onto the couch beside her. His arm draped around her shoulders naturally, the weight of it comforting.

“Alright,” he said, stretching his legs out. “What’s up? You’ve got that look.”

Elizabeth hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around Lucky’s fur. She didn’t want to bring it up. Not again. But Robbie knew her too well.

“I sent a message to Y/N earlier,” she admitted quietly. “Just a simple ‘Congrats, hope everything’s going well.’ They read it but didn’t reply.”

Robbie’s expression shifted, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before he forced a small smile. “Oh… That’s… okay, right? I mean, you weren’t expecting a reply.”

Elizabeth swallowed, unsure why it hurt so much to hear him say it out loud. “I know. I just thought—” She stopped herself, shaking her head. “Never mind. It’s stupid.”

Robbie studied her for a moment before sighing. “Lizzie… it’s been a long time.” His voice was gentle, but there was something firm beneath it. “You’ve moved on. We’ve moved on. Right?”

She turned to look at him, guilt creeping in at the frustration in his eyes. She hated this conversation—hated that they kept having it. “Of course, I’ve moved on, Robbie. But Y/N was a huge part of my life. It’s not easy to just… erase that.”

Robbie pulled his arm away, sitting up straighter. “I’m not asking you to erase anything,” he said, his tone sharper now. “But every time Y/N’s name comes up, it’s like you drift somewhere else. I feel like I lose you for a little while.”

Elizabeth’s heart clenched. She never wanted Robbie to feel like that. He had been her rock—her safe place. But unresolved emotions had a way of lingering, creeping into the cracks of an otherwise perfect life.

“I’m not holding onto Y/N,” she insisted, though even as she said it, she wasn’t sure if it was completely true. “It’s just… I never got closure. Everything ended so abruptly. One day we were inseparable, and the next, we weren’t even speaking.”

Robbie let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “And what do you think closure looks like? A reply to your text? A conversation that suddenly makes everything feel okay?”

She didn’t know. Maybe she never had.

“I just… I thought maybe if they responded, even with something small, it would mean that—” She hesitated, suddenly unsure of what she wanted to say.

“That what?” Robbie pressed, his voice quieter now.

“That it wasn’t all for nothing,” she finally admitted, barely above a whisper.

Robbie’s jaw tightened, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Then, with a sigh, he reached for her hand. “Lizzie, nothing from your past makes what we have now any less real. But if you’re still looking for something—some answer—then maybe you haven’t fully let go.”

Elizabeth bit her lip, tears stinging the back of her eyes. “I don’t want to make you feel like this. Like you’re second to someone who isn’t even in my life anymore.”

Robbie cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “I know you don’t. And I love you. But I need you to be all in with me. No more ghosts, no more unfinished chapters.”

She nodded slowly, leaning into his touch. “You’re right.”

His lips quirked up in a small, tired smile. “I usually am.”

She huffed a small laugh and let him pull her into a hug, the warmth of his embrace easing some of the heaviness inside her.

After a few minutes, Robbie pulled back, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Come on. Let’s cook that pasta. Nothing says ‘moving on’ like carbs.”

Elizabeth laughed softly, following him into the kitchen.

Later that night, as they lay in bed, Lucky curled up between them, Elizabeth stroked the dog’s fur absentmindedly.

“He’s really attached to you,” Robbie murmured.

Elizabeth smiled. “Yeah. He’s been with me through everything.”

Robbie shifted slightly, propping himself up on one elbow. “You mean with Y/N too.”

She hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. We adopted him together.”

Robbie was quiet for a moment, then reached out to stroke Lucky’s head. “He’s our dog now, Lizzie. He’s part of our life. Not just a reminder of your past.”

Elizabeth felt something shift inside her. Maybe Robbie was right. Maybe it was time to stop looking at Lucky as a connection to Y/N and start seeing him as part of this new life she was building.

She turned to Robbie, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “You always know what to say, don’t you?”

He smirked. “It’s part of my charm.”

She rolled her eyes but leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to his lips.

As she lay back down, a sense of peace settled over her. She wasn’t erasing the past. She was just finally letting it be the past.

And for the first time in a long time, that felt okay.