"Raven", my lips started trembling
"Yes love",he looks at me
"Please love me like you loved me in my dreams" I begged. Tears running down my cheeks.
" I tried Elora. But I think I've lost the part of me who once truly loved you. I can't love you any...
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(7 years later)
....
"Elora, what happened?"
My mother's voice seeps through the soft hum of the car engine, gently pulling me out of the quiet daze I've unknowingly slipped into. I blink, glancing out the window, realizing I've been staring into the cloudless blue sky. The sun bathes everything in a delicate golden glow , lost in thought.
The world outside looks perfect, almost dreamlike. A beautiful, sunny day that makes the streets feel softer and more forgiving than usual. But my mind had drifted elsewhere.
For the past few days, I've been back in my mother's house. Elaya and her father wanted me to enjoy my short adjournment in peace, so I ran to the one place that still felt untouched by the chaos of life , my mother's embrace. I spent quiet afternoons basking in the comfort of old walls, familiar scents, and conversations with people I hadn't realized I'd missed so dearly, including Sora.
It felt good. Normal. A slice of life preserved in time, unbothered by change.
Now the days have slipped by faster than I could hold onto them, and here I am, on my way back to the life I've built . The life I chose, and the life that, surprisingly, has been nothing short of impeccable.
"Why are you so lost? Don't you want to see your daughter and husband?"
Her question, laced with motherly warmth, draws me back to the present. I follow her gaze and realize we're already parked in front of my home.
I chuckle softly, brushing away the wandering thoughts. "Sorry, I didn't even notice..."
The sight of the familiar building tugs at my heart, and just like that, my mind floods with a new kind of longing. It's only been a few days, but I miss them . My little family , in ways that feel almost too big for words.
I had wanted to take Elaya with me, but Levis insisted I take this time for myself, telling me to let the days pass without worry. He was right, as always. Yet I get tensed since she's just turned 4 and can be fussy at times.
I turn to my mother, leaning in for a goodbye hug. Her arms wrap around me, holding me close in that silent, comforting way only mothers know. I let the moment linger, and before I can catch it, a tear escapes. warm and uninvited , tracing down my cheek. I press my face into her shoulder so she doesn't see.
"Why are you crying, honey?"
Her voice breaks the silence, tender and knowing. I can't bring myself to explain. Because there's nothing to explain, not really. My emotions are tangled somewhere between gratitude, contentment, and the quiet ache of things unspoken.
"Thanks, mama. Thanks," is all I manage.
She gives my hand one last squeeze, and I step out of the car, waving until the distance swallows her figure.
