I Moved On, Right?

In The Warmth of Her Care

At 12:55, there was a soft knock at the door.

My heart skipped, and I quickly wiped my palms on my jeans before opening it.

There she was, standing in the doorway with that familiar smile that always seemed to disarm me. She was holding a box, presumably the dessert she'd promised.

"Hey," she said, stepping inside. Her eyes scanned the apartment, and she raised an eyebrow. "Wow, Stan. Did you hire a cleaning crew or something? It's spotless in here."

I chuckled, scratching the back of my neck.
Before I could respond, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. Can we just stay like this for a moment..." She said. The gesture was so sudden, so natural, that it caught me off guard.

VERA'S POV
"Hey," I said, stepping inside. My eyes scanned the place, and I raised an eyebrow. "Wow, Stan. Did you hire a cleaning crew or something? It's spotless in here."

Before he could respond, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug. "Can we stay like this for a moment.." I said. He doesn't share his feelings with anyone. I can sense he's not in a good mood, I thought maybe he needed it.

STAN'S POV
Her words caught me off guard, and for a second, I just stood there, frozen. But then I felt her warmth, the way she buried her face into my chest, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around her.

"Of course," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

We stood there in silence, her arms holding me tighter than I expected. My thoughts were still a mess, but in that moment, with her so close, everything else seemed to fade into the background.

After what felt like minutes, she pulled back slightly but kept her hands on my shoulders, her eyes searching mine. "You're really okay, Stan?" she asked, her tone gentle but insistent.

I forced a smile, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her. "I'm fine, Vera. Promise."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, clearly unconvinced. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

I laughed, but it sounded more like a sigh. "I'm not lying. Just... processing some things."

She nodded, her expression softening. "Okay. Just remember, I'm here, alright? You don't have to process everything alone."

"Thanks," I said, meaning it more than I could express.

She smiled and stepped fully into the apartment, holding up the box she'd brought. "So, dessert! I may or may not have gone overboard and bought an entire cheesecake."

"An entire cheesecake?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I figured we'd need it. You know, just in case lunch is a disaster," she teased, giving me a playful nudge.

"Wow, such faith in my cooking," I shot back, shaking my head as I closed the door.

She laughed, the sound light and genuine, and for the first time that day, I felt myself relax.

"Alright, Chef Stan, I'll be your assistant today. What's on the menu?" She asked, setting the box down on the counter and leaning against it.

I smiled, appreciating her playful tone. "Well, Assistant Vera, I was thinking something simple-pasta with a side of garlic bread. Can't go wrong with the classics, right?"

"Simple and classic. I like it," she said, rolling up the sleeves of her sweater. "Alright, where do we start?"

I motioned toward the fridge. "Can you grab the veggies? I'll start on the sauce."