Unspoken Words

chapter 11

Chapter 11: Unspoken Truths

The days after Eva and Nolan's quiet conversation by the lake felt like a fragile truce between them. They were making progress, but the past was always hovering in the background, like an uninvited guest that refused to leave.

One morning, after a long night of tending to her mother, Eva stood in the kitchen, stirring a pot of coffee. Her eyes were tired, the weight of responsibility bearing down on her, but there was a flicker of something different—something that resembled peace. For the first time in a while, she felt like she could breathe.

Nolan walked into the kitchen, his presence a quiet comfort. He had been an anchor for her, his steady support a balm for her raw emotions. But even with his patience, Eva still struggled to fully open up. She hadn't told him everything about what happened the night he left. She hadn't told him how she'd found the letter he'd written her after he disappeared—the one that never made it to her hands. The one where he apologized but also explained how much he'd been drowning in his own fears, too ashamed to return.

The letter haunted her. It was one of the things that kept her from fully understanding him—kept her from fully forgiving him. The pain of not knowing had been worse than any of the words he could have spoken, and now, with Nolan standing so close, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still left unsaid.

"Nolan," she began, her voice softer than she intended, "there's something I need to tell you."

He paused, turning to face her, his expression neutral but patient. "What is it?"

Eva hesitated. Her fingers tightened around the mug in her hands, but she forced herself to speak. "The night you left... I found your letter. The one you wrote before you left. I never got it, but I know what you said."

Nolan's face tightened, his jaw tensing as if he had been struck. "I should've told you in person," he said quietly, his voice thick with regret.

Eva swallowed hard, her throat constricting. "Why didn't you? Why did you leave without telling me anything? I needed to know why... and instead, I spent all these years thinking it was me, that I wasn't enough." Her eyes began to sting, and she quickly wiped them, not wanting to appear vulnerable.

Nolan stepped closer, his voice raw with emotion. "I didn't want to hurt you more, Eva. I didn't know how to explain what I was going through, how much I was afraid of losing myself and losing you." He paused, his eyes searching hers. "But that doesn't excuse my actions. I should have told you everything. And I'm sorry. I can't change what I did, but I can promise that I'll never leave like that again."

Eva looked away, her heart heavy. It was what she needed to hear, but it was also more than she could handle at once. She wasn't sure if she could let him in fully, not yet. But for the first time, she saw the full extent of his pain and fear—not just his regret—but the depth of his self-doubt.

"I know," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I just... need time."

Chapter 12: The Waiting Game

Time was a strange thing in Eva's life. It both stretched on endlessly and moved too quickly, like sand slipping through her fingers. The days blurred together, filled with doctor's appointments, late-night vigils by her mother's bedside, and the quiet support of Nolan, who was always there, even when she didn't know how to ask for it.

But even though Nolan was present, Eva found herself struggling to open up to him. There were moments when she felt like they were standing side by side, walking in the same direction, but still miles apart. She hadn't fully let him back into her heart yet, and it felt like she was holding her breath, waiting for something to happen—waiting for a sign that they could truly move forward.