Page 4 of The Weight of Her Silence
Nate swallowed hard
“I want to say the right things, Ava. I’m... I’m trying.”
She shook her head slowly.
“It’s too late for trying.”
Caleb appeared behind her, rubbing at his eyes.
Nate reached out, but they stepped back. The silence stretched between them again—longer, heavier than before.
He realized then that the silence wasn’t just the absence of words. It was a wall built of grief, guilt, and things left unsaid. And for all of them, it was louder than any cry.
Chapter 3
When Love Was New - Flashback
The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the small café, mingling with the faint hum of early morning chatter and the gentle clink of ceramic mugs. Nate sat at a corner table, nervously smoothing the crease in his shirt, glancing at the door every few seconds. It was the first time he’d ever felt this kind of anticipation—not the usual impatience or anxiety, but something softer, something hopeful. And then she walked in.
Lila.
Her hair caught the morning light, shimmering like spun gold, and her smile was shy but bright—like the first ray of sun after a long night. She wore a simple blue dress that fluttered around her knees, and there was an easy grace in the way she moved. Their eyes met, and something shifted. The noise of the café dimmed, the world narrowed until it was just the two of them, suspended in that perfect moment.
“Hi,” she said, her voice soft but sure.
“Hi,” he replied, suddenly unable to find any other words.
They talked for hours—about dreams and fears, favorite books and hidden talents. Nate learned that Lila loved to paint in the quiet moments, that she was fiercely protective of her little brother, and that she believed in kindness even when the world was cruel. Every laugh they shared felt like a promise, every glance a step toward something neither of them fully understood but both desperately wanted.
Later, as they walked through the park hand in hand, the world seemed to bloom around them. The trees were thick with spring leaves, the air sweet with the scent of blooming jasmine.
Lila looked up at him, eyes sparkling.
“I think this is the start of something beautiful.”
Nate smiled, feeling something he hadn’t in years—a hope that was raw and new and terrifying.
“I think you’re right,” he said, squeezing her hand gently.
That night, they lay beneath a sky bursting with stars, and Nate traced patterns on Lila’s skin, silently vowing to protect this fragile happiness forever.
The days that followed felt like a waking dream. Nate found himself counting hours until he could see her again, eager to learn every detail, to memorize the curve of her smile and the warmth in her eyes.
They spent afternoons wandering through bookstores, sharing secrets over cups of coffee, and evenings wrapped in blankets on her small balcony, watching city lights flicker like distant stars.
One evening, Nate surprised Lila with a picnic in the park, a simple spread of bread, cheese, and strawberries laid out ona red-checkered blanket. The golden light of the setting sun filtered through the trees, painting everything in soft amber hues.
Lila laughed as a breeze tangled her hair, and Nate reached out to tuck a loose strand behind her ear.
“You’re beautiful like this,” he whispered, his voice thick with something unspoken.
She smiled, eyes shining with a mixture of shyness and joy.
“You always say the right things.”
He shook his head. “I just say what I feel.”
In that moment, the world was perfect—no past, no future, only the quiet beat of their hearts in sync. They talked about dreams then—about a life filled with travel, a small house by the sea, children’s laughter echoing in sunlit rooms. Lila’s hand found Nate’s, fingers intertwining like the promise of forever. Their love was a fragile flame, tender but fierce against the cold winds of the world.
