Unspoken Words

Chapter 1: The Return

Chapter 1: The Return

Eva Montgomery took a deep breath as her car rolled slowly down the familiar streets of her small hometown. It had been almost six years since she'd left for the city, chasing dreams that had since faded into a distant memory. The town hadn't changed much, though. The same worn-down gas station. The old diner on the corner. Even the town square, where she had spent so many restless afternoons with friends, felt eerily unchanged.

But there was one change that loomed larger than any other—her mother. Eva had received the call just a few days ago, and the news had hit her like a ton of bricks. Her mom's cancer had returned, and this time, the doctors were less optimistic. Eva didn't have the luxury of hesitation or the comfort of avoiding her past. She needed to be here.

The car slowed as it approached the modest house she had grown up in. Her mother's small garden was overgrown now, wild with ivy and forget-me-nots, as though nature itself had tried to take over the space her mother once nurtured with care. Eva pulled into the driveway, taking a long moment before she stepped out of the car.

As she walked up the front steps, a figure appeared in her peripheral vision. She froze, her heart skipping a beat. There, standing by the old oak tree that had been a silent witness to so many of her youthful days, was Nolan Hayes.

Her chest tightened. The last time she'd seen him—really seen him—had been the day he left. The day he vanished without so much as a goodbye. The day she'd learned what it meant to have a piece of her heart stolen away.

He hadn't changed much, his dark hair a little longer now, his frame still lean and broad from years of hard labor. But it was his eyes, those hauntingly familiar green eyes, that hit her hardest. They were locked on her as if nothing had changed. As if no time had passed at all.

She tried to steady her breath, but the ache in her chest made it difficult. She had no choice but to face him now.

Nolan didn't move, his expression unreadable. "Eva," he said, his voice low and rough. "I didn't think I'd see you again."

Chapter 2: Unexpected Encounters

Eva tried to ignore the rapid flutter in her chest as she pushed the door open. Her mother was resting inside, but the silence of the house seemed to amplify every stray thought. She had expected the awkwardness, the discomfort, but seeing Nolan standing there after all these years felt like a punch to the gut. It was as if time had folded in on itself, bringing her right back to that moment when he'd left her without a word.

The evening passed in a blur. Her mother had slipped into a fitful sleep, and Eva found herself alone, staring at the dim light outside the window. The streetlights flickered, casting long shadows over the house. That's when she heard the footsteps—soft but deliberate—coming closer to the porch.

Before she had time to react, Nolan was standing there again, his silhouette outlined by the glow from inside.

"I brought you something," he said, holding out a small, crumpled paper bag.

It was strange, how even after all these years, he could still have such an effect on her. "What's this?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of curiosity she hadn't expected.

"Your favorite cookies," he said with a slight grin, the kind that used to make her feel like the whole world was lighter. "I thought maybe... they'd help with the transition."

Eva took the bag from him, her fingers brushing his for the briefest moment. It was electric, that touch. Her heart stuttered, and for a second, she wondered if he felt the same way. But she quickly shook the thought away. It was silly. He hadn't been around for years—he didn't have a right to affect her like this.