the fire between us

chapter 51

The next few weeks pass in a blur, and with each day, things begin to shift. Martinus is talking to me more and more, his words hesitant at first, but slowly becoming easier. It's not the same as before, but it's better than the silence. Every little exchange between us feels like a step forward, a fragile thread pulling us together again, though we both know it's going to take time.

I'm grateful for these small moments, but they don't stop the ache that lingers in the spaces between our conversations. Sometimes I catch him staring off, his eyes distant, as if he's still trying to piece together fragments of a life he doesn't fully recognize anymore. But even those moments—those heavy, quiet moments—are better than when he wouldn't look at me at all.

Thankfully, I have Marcus and Nora. They've been my constant light, lifting me when the days get too hard, when the weight of everything feels like too much. Marcus cracks jokes, his smile infectious, and somehow, he makes me feel like I can breathe again, like I don't have to carry all of this alone. Nora... Nora has been my rock. We've spent hours talking, sometimes about nothing, sometimes about everything we've been through, and it's in those moments that I feel like I'm truly healing.

One evening, after another long day, I sit with Marcus and Nora in the living room. The warmth from the fire casts a soft glow across the room, and for a brief moment, everything feels...normal. Marcus leans back, his arm draped casually across the back of the couch, and Nora sits next to me, close enough that I can feel her steady presence. I let out a deep breath, the tension in my chest easing just a little.

"I'm really glad you're here," I say, my voice soft but filled with gratitude. "I don't think I could've made it through this without you two."

Nora smiles, her eyes gentle as she squeezes my hand. "You don't have to go through it alone. We're here. Always."

Marcus grins, nudging me playfully. "Yeah, you're stuck with us. No getting rid of us now."

I laugh—a real, unguarded laugh—and for the first time in what feels like forever, the laughter isn't tinged with sadness. It's just...pure. It's enough to remind me that no matter how broken things might feel, there are still moments of light, of hope. Moments that make me believe, deep down, that everything is going to be okay.

And as the evening stretches on, with Martinus resting in his room, I hold onto that hope—because maybe, just maybe, we're all going to find our way back to each other.

The next day, we're all sitting together in the living room, watching a movie for the first time in what feels like forever. The atmosphere feels lighter, the tension from the past few weeks slowly dissolving. We've ordered pizza, and the smell fills the room, mixing with the sounds of laughter from the movie playing on the screen.

For a moment, everything feels...normal again. Martinus sits beside me, and though we're not as close as we once were, there's a warmth between us that wasn't there before. He laughs at something on the screen, and I can't help but smile, grateful for this small, peaceful moment.

After the movie ends, Marcus turns to us, his expression a little more serious. "Guys?" he says, his voice soft but carrying an unmistakable weight.

I sit up a bit straighter, glancing between him and Nora. "Yes?" I ask, curiosity and a slight nervousness creeping into my voice.

Marcus looks at Nora, who smiles gently before turning to face us as well. "We have something to say," he continues, his hand reaching for hers, and I can already feel the anticipation in the room shift.

Martinus and I exchange glances, both of us quietly waiting for what they're about to share.

Nora takes a deep breath, her eyes meeting ours. "Marcus and I have decided to move the wedding," she says, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "We're moving it to next month."