Maybe This Time

006

Orm found herself walking down the familiar paths of the park she and Lingling used to visit during their marriage. The trees rustled softly, the sun casting a gentle glow over the lake.

Lingling was beside her, both of them walking in a silence that feit tense yet comforting. Each step stirred memories the laughter, the love, the heartbreak.

But just as Orm turned to say something.. She jolted awake.

Orm's eyes opened, her heart racing. She was in her bedroom, and beside her, Anada was sleeping soundly, her arm draped gently over Orm. The warmth of her girlfriend's presence was soothing, but the dream lingered, leaving her feeling unsettled and yearning.

Slipping quietly out of bed, she tiptoed over to her desk and scribbled a quick note for Anada. "I'll be back soon. Just need some time to clear my head. -Orm"

She grabbed her keys, her mind still spinning with images of the park, of Lingling, of the laughter they once shared. Almost on instinct, she drove to the park.

The early morning air was cool as Orm stepped out of her car, the familiar landscape stretching out before her. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow retracing her steps from the dream, as though fate had pushed her here.

Walking down the path, she scanned the benches until, to her surprise, she spotted Lingling, sitting alone. Lingling seemed lost in thought, her expression quite down, until she looked up and noticed Orm approaching. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the years between them seemed to vanish.

Lingling blinked, surprised. "Orm? I... wasn't expecting to see you here."

Orm managed a faint smile, heart pounding. "Honestly, I wasn't expecting to see you, either. I... had a dream about this place, about us."

Lingling nodded, patting the spot next to her. "Funny, I come here sometimes just to think.. It's where we made a lot of memories... the good ones, at least."

Orm sat down, glancing around at the trees, the lake, the pathways that had once felt like their special corner of the world. "I never realized how much I missed it until now."

They sat in silence for a moment before Lingling took a deep breath. "Orm, I know I've said this before, but... I truly regret the way things ended. I was selfish, I took you for granted, and I hurt you in ways I can't ever undo."

Orm looked down at her hands, her voice quiet but steady. "You did, Ling.. and for a long time, I thought I'd never forgive you. I was angry... hurt. But now, sitting here, I don't know. It's like... maybe I've carried that anger long enough."

Lingling swallowed, her voice soft. "I wish I could go back and fix everything, but I know that's not possible. You're happy now, aren't you? with Anada?"

Orm paused, thinking of Anada's warmth.. her kindness, the way she brought calm to her life. "Yes, I am. Anada's been wonderful to me, and I don't want to hurt her. But being here with you... I can't help but feel this strange mix of regret and nostalgia. It's like we're caught in some unfinished story."

Lingling's eyes filled with emotion, and she reached for Orm's hand instinctively. "Maybe we are. But Orm, I don't want to stand in the way of your happiness. I don't deserve to."

Orm hesitated, her heart pulled in two directions. "Ling, it's not about what you deserve. It's about what we both needed..

She continued, "and maybe... we needed time apart to see things clearly but seeing you here now... I can't pretend you weren't a huge part of my life, that we didn't once love each other deeply."

Lingling smiled sadly, her thumb gently brushing over Orm's knuckles. "Maybe we can still be a part of each other's lives, even if it's not the way we once imagined."

The tension eased as they began reminiscing, recalling their early days and shared moments that once brought them happiness.

Lingling laughed, her eyes shining as she remembered a time they got soaked in the rain after a sudden downpour, huddling under a tree and laughing as they tried to cover themselves with a tiny umbrella.

Orm laughed, too, her face lighting up. "And then you insisted on buying me new shoes because mine were ruined. I couldn't even believe it, you spending money on something so trivial."

Lingling chuckled, her gaze soft. "I wanted to make up for getting us stuck in that downpour in the first place. You looked so annoyed."

They both laughed, the sound echoing through the quiet morning air.

For a brief moment.. the pain and distance melted away, replaced by a familiar warmth, the laughter faded and Orm felt a bittersweet ache in her chest.

She stood, brushing off her jeans, and looked down at Lingling with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Ling. For the memories, for today. It's... It's good to know that even if we couldn't make it work, there were still beautiful moments."

Lingling nodded, her face filled with mixed emotions. "Thank you, Orm. For giving me a chance to remember what we had... and for letting me see that maybe it's time for us both to move forward."

They stood in silence before Orm offered her a hug, a final gesture of closure. Lingling embraced her tightly, as though holding on for just a second longer before letting go.

As Orm walked back to her car, she glanced back one last time, feeling the weight of the past lift just a little, She knew that moving forward didn't mean erasing what had been, but cherishing it as a part of who she was, a part that had shaped her journey into the life she was now ready to embrace fully.