To Love Again | LingOrm AU

Chapter 11: When Past And Present Collide

Notes: Things are now starting to unfold... 🤍

===

A chill permeated the air as Orm and Gina passed beneath the weathered archway marking the cemetery's entrance. The sky was a canvas of muted grays, still heavy with the remnants of an earlier rainfall. Droplets clung to the leaves and petals of the carefully tended flora, glistening like tears in the weak morning light. It was as if the universe itself was in mourning, mirroring the somber mood that enveloped the two women.

Their footsteps crunched softly on the gravel path, the sound unnaturally loud in the stillness of the graveyard. Orm and Gina walked arm in arm, their usual animated chatter replaced by a weighted silence, a stark contrast to their typically lively reunions, a testament to the gravity of their visit.

Gina's grip on Orm's arm tightened slightly as they neared their destination. Orm glanced at her friend, noting the tightness around Gina's eyes and the slight tremble in her lower lip. This was Gina's first time visiting since the funeral she'd missed, and the weight of that absence was evident in her demeanor.

As they rounded a bend in the path, Orm spotted a familiar figure among the headstones. Khun Rhatha, the cemetery's caretaker, moved with practiced efficiency, her weathered hands gently clearing away wilted flowers and melted candle stubs. Her presence was a constant in this place of remembrance, tending to the final resting places of loved ones with quiet reverence.

Orm's voice broke the silence, slightly hoarse from disuse. "Sawasdee kha, Khun Rhatha," she called out softly. "How are you?"

The older woman straightened, a warm smile crinkling the corners of her eyes as she turned to face them. "Sawasdee kha, Nong Orm. I am well, thank you," she replied, her tone gentle and welcoming. There was a pause before she added, "It's been a long time since I've last seen you here."

A flush of guilt colored Orm's cheeks. She averted her gaze momentarily, "Yeah, I know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Life got in the way." The words felt inadequate, a flimsy excuse for her extended absence.

Seeking to move past the awkward moment, Orm gestured to her companion. "This is my best friend, Gina," she introduced. "We're just visiting Bubbles." The nickname slipped out unbidden, a relic from happier times that now felt like a lifetime ago.

Gina stepped forward, offering a respectful wai. "Sawasdee kha, Khun Rhatha," she greeted, her smile warm despite the sadness in her eyes. The caretaker returned the greeting before excusing herself, moving back to her duties with quiet efficiency.

As Khun Rhatha resumed her work, Orm's gaze was drawn to the pile of discarded flowers nearby. Among the typical offerings of marigolds, orchids, and jasmine, but a splash of white caught her eye.

Peonies.

The sight of them, wilted and discarded, stirred something in Orm. Her mind flashed to Ling's visits and her habit of purchasing these very blooms. Of course, Ling wasn't the only customer who bought peonies, but something about seeing them here, in this context, felt significant.

Orm found herself frozen, staring at the discarded flowers, unable to fully articulate why they affected her so strongly. The peonies seemed out of place among the more traditional cemetery offerings, yet their presence felt oddly meaningful.

"Orm?" Gina's voice cut through the fog of reminiscence, tinged with concern.

Orm blinked, realizing she had been staring. "Huh?" she responded, slightly disoriented.

Gina's eyes, filled with understanding and grief, met Orm's. "I said maybe we should say a little prayer," she repeated gently, squeezing Orm's hand.

Orm nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat. As they turned towards their best friends' grave, the weight of loss settled over them anew. Yet, there was comfort in their shared sorrow, in the knowledge that they were facing this moment together.