hapter35
She genuinely believed that sharing her fun experiences would make Leo Jealous, and somehow, magically, bring her back home. The painful Irony wasn’t lost on me, I had created this rift, and now my family was suffering. Leo’s gaze fell upon the bandaged hand I’d been trying to hide, and her expression softened.
“You should’ve gotten it checked out,” she said with concern. And in that moment, something inside me shifted. It was as if a spark had ignited, a flicker of hope.
The possibility that she still cared, even after everything I’d put her through, was almost too much to bear. My chest tightened, a mix of emotions swirling inside me like a storm. I felt a lump form in my throat as I struggled to process this unexpected glimmer of tenderness. Could it be that she still held onto some shred of love for me? My heart was racing, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there
was still a chance for us, after all.
“I’m good,” I said, attempting a reassuring smile, but Leo’s response was a forced, polite smile
that immediately extinguished the fragile flame of hope that had flickered to life.
The contrast between her lukewarm response and the warmth I yearned for was like a cold splash of
reality, dousing my spirits. I felt the ache of my guilt settling back onto my shoulders, the pain of our fractured relationship fresh once more.
“Mom, I want a Java plum mojito!” Willy exclaimed, her eyes scanning the menu with excitement. Leo smiled, her face lighting up with affection, and leaned in to kiss Willy’s temple.
“Okay, baby,” she agreed lovingly, her voice filled with warmth. I watched the tender moment, feeling a pang of regret and longing.
As I sat there, surrounded by the warmth and love of these two incredible girls, I couldn’t help but think about how I’d taken them for granted. The weight of my mistakes settled heavy on my heart, and I felt a deep sorrow for the pain I’d caused. I wanted to turn back time, to cherish and appreciate
these precious moments, but all I could do was sit there, frozen in regret.
“What would you like?” Leo asked, her tone neutral, and I hesitated, knowing that my response would be scrutinized. If I said “whatever you choose” or “whatever you want“, it would come across as disinterested, so I opted for a safer approach.
“My usual, and if you want to try something different, I wouldn’t mind that too,” I added, attempting to sound positive. Leo’s sigh was almost imperceptible, but I caught it.
She ordered our usual, along with iced tea, a nod to our unspoken rule of not drinking alcohol when Willy was with us. The familiarity of the routine was highlighting the tension between us.
I couldn’t shake the realization that nothing would ever be the same again. No matter how hard I tried to mend the fractures or Leo attempted to shield Willy from the fallout, the truth was undeniable, what we once had was irreparably broken.
Chapter35
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The stone of that understanding settled heavy on my heart, fueling a fierce determination within
- me. I vowed to do whatever it took.
I couldn’t give up, not when the memories of our laughter, our adventures, and our quiet moments together still lingered, taunting me with what could have been. I had created the mess, broken the pieces, and now it was up to me to sweep them up, to painstakingly repair and reassemble the fragments. I had to glue them back together, hoping against hope that the bonds would be strong enough to hold, that the cracks wouldn’t show, and that our love could be made new again.
The demand of patience was high, but I knew I had to try. I owed it to Leo, to Willy, and to myself to make things right. As the restaurant owner, who adored Willy like a granddaughter, whisked her
way to the aviary, where they kept a colorful array of birds, Leo’s gaze turned to me.
The warmth and chaos of the restaurant receded, leaving only the two of us, suspended in a moment of charged tension. I knew, in that instant, that it was time to confront the elephant in the room – the weighty, unspoken issues that had been simmering between us for far too long. The air seemed to vibrate with anticipation, as if the very fate of our relationship hung in the balance, waiting to see if I would find the courage to broach the subjects that had been left unspoken for so
long.
“I’m ready,” Leo said, her voice barely above a whisper, yet those three words had the power to stop my heartbeat. I felt like I was suspended in time, unsure whether to erupt in joy or pepper her with questions. My mind racing with possibilities, I struggled to process what she meant.
Was she ready to talk? Ready to forgive? Ready to try again? The uncertainty was almost too much to bear, leaving me breathless and yearning for clarity. I wanted to ask her to elaborate, to explain what she meant, but something held me back, and all I could do was wait.
