Winter's Farewell

​🇨​​🇭​​🇦​​🇵​​🇹​​🇪​​🇷 𝟖₈

The week had passed without major surprises, and Claire found herself immersed in her usual routine. Work at the bookstore remained calm, and although there wasn't always a lot of activity, she enjoyed the serene atmosphere. For her, there was no better feeling than being surrounded by books, and the conversations with customers who shared her love of reading made the days go by quickly.

That afternoon, Claire was reorganizing the shelves when Julia, her coworker, appeared behind her with a curious smile.

"Hey, do you have plans today?" Julia asked, placing a couple of books in their spots.

"Nothing special, I was just thinking about going home and reading for a while," Claire replied without giving it much thought.

"How about we do something different?" Julia insisted. "There's a new café that opened near the park. We could go after work and check it out."

Claire hesitated for a moment but finally nodded with a smile.

"Sounds good. A change of scenery might be nice," she said, setting the books aside.

She had been so used to her routine that going out and trying something new seemed like a good idea. Plus, she had no plans with Leevi, so her afternoon was free.

After finishing their shifts at the bookstore, Claire and Julia walked together to the new café. The place had a modern feel, with warm lights and light wood tables, and the energy of the place was perfect for a relaxed chat. They both ordered a coffee and sat near a window.

"This place is nice," Claire commented, looking around as she sipped her cup. "I hadn't passed by here before."

Julia nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, it seems like all the new cafés are trying to have that cozy vibe. I like it."

The conversation flowed easily, and Claire appreciated the lightness of the moment. Talking with Julia was easy, and while their conversations weren't as deep as the ones she usually had with Leevi, she liked having different connections in her life. They spent a good while talking about books, their more eccentric customers at the bookstore, and their weekend plans.

In the middle of the conversation, Claire's phone vibrated on the table. She instinctively picked it up and smiled when she saw Leevi's name on the screen.

"Is it Leevi?" Julia asked with a mischievous smile, noticing Claire's reaction.

Claire nodded, not making too much of it.

"Yeah, he's just asking what I'm up to." She quickly replied, "having coffee with Julia," and then set the phone aside.

"How are things with him?" Julia asked, genuinely curious.

Claire shrugged, smiling.

"Good. I saw him last week. It was a nice time. You know how he is, comes and goes. But when we see each other, it's always like nothing's changed."

Julia looked at her with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"I've always thought you two have a special relationship. Not many people can maintain that connection, especially with so much space in between."

Claire reflected for a moment. She knew her friendship with Leevi wasn't like the typical relationships others had. There was something in their dynamic that made it work, even with the long absences and silences that sometimes got in the way. But at that moment, she realized that although everything seemed fine, she had started to notice those empty spaces more.

"I guess so," she finally responded, not wanting to dive too deep into it. "It's what's always worked for us."

The conversation continued for a while longer, and when they said goodbye, Claire felt light, almost relaxed. She walked home slowly, enjoying the cool night air. It had been a pleasant day, and although she hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, she had enjoyed her time with Julia.

When she got home, she collapsed on the sofa and checked her phone. Leevi hadn't responded to her last message, but she didn't think much of it. He's busy, she thought, as she always did. However, as she got ready to read a bit before bed, a small part of her realized that Leevi's silences, though not new, were starting to feel longer than usual.

She didn't want to worry. She knew things had always been this way between them, and that Leevi had his own rhythm. Still, she couldn't help but feel that the time they spent together was slowly decreasing, and even though everything was perfect when they were together, those periods of absence were starting to weigh more.

The following days passed similarly. Claire continued with her work, saw Blair occasionally, and exchanged messages with Leevi now and then. However, Leevi's responses were becoming shorter, and although she didn't openly admit it, Claire began to notice the growing distance between them.

One afternoon, while walking through the park after work, Claire took out her phone and typed a message to Leevi, inviting him to dinner over the weekend. She knew she couldn't always count on his availability, but she wanted to try.

"Dinner this Saturday? It's been a while since I cooked for you," she wrote, adding a smiley emoji to keep the tone light.

She pocketed her phone and kept walking. The park was full of families and children playing, and the sound of their laughter filled the air. Claire watched the leaves fall from the trees, getting lost in the atmosphere as she waited for a reply.

A couple of hours later, her phone vibrated. She quickly pulled out the device, expecting Leevi's reply. But when she read the message, a small pang of disappointment hit her.

"I can't this weekend. Maybe next week."

Leevi had always been straightforward, but that reply felt colder than usual. Claire let out a sigh and put her phone away, trying to convince herself that it wasn't a big deal. It's just one more weekend, she thought. But the truth was that something about that message left her with an odd feeling. It was as if, little by little, Leevi was pulling away more than she wanted to admit.

Back home, Claire poured herself a glass of wine and collapsed on the couch. The week had been good overall, but that small moment of disappointment still lingered in her mind. She tried not to think too much about it. Everything is fine, she told herself once more, as if those words could chase away any doubts.