The weekend in the countryside, though brief, had a profound impact on Caroline and David. It had recharged them, bringing a touch of lightness where the weight of the past seemed to always follow them. However, as soon as they returned to the city, things quickly fell back into place. The daily grind, with its urgencies and routines, once again invaded their space. But something had changed between them—a kind of silent complicity. The unsaid things, though still present, seemed less oppressive. There was a subtle, new sense of healing taking place.
Work resumed its usual rhythm: calls, meetings, daily obligations. But now, there was a different air in their relationship. Caroline and David found themselves more often in those small moments of complicity life offered them. Sometimes, it was a smile exchanged through a glance, sometimes a simple, affectionate gesture. They had learned to appreciate these moments, these little pauses that, one by one, slowly wove the fabric of their new relationship.
That morning, Caroline woke up early, as usual, but something in the air unsettled her. It wasn't a specific worry, nor a painful memory, but a slight sense of discomfort, as if a shadow was hanging over her. She went to the kitchen, her gaze a little lost, thinking about all that still needed to be fixed in her life, in her relationship with David, but also in the story of Jules, which they hadn't yet fully addressed. She knew that one day, the truth about what had happened that night would come out. It wasn't a matter of if, but when.
David walked into the room, his hair disheveled, a tired smile on his lips.
— "A coffee to start the day right?" he asked, sitting at the table.
Caroline nodded, but her gaze remained distant, as though she were still weighing something in her mind.
— "David…" she started, her voice trembling slightly. "We need to talk about Jules."
David looked up at her, momentarily surprised by the direction of the conversation. He knew this moment would eventually come. They had both avoided bringing it up, delicately and cautiously, as those who don't want to stir up ashes. But, deep down, this question remained unanswered, like a distant echo.
— "I know…" he said softly, setting his cup on the table. "I think it's time."
Caroline stood up and turned toward the window, looking outside, her gaze lost in the shadows of the city waking up. There was so much to say, but she didn't know where to begin.
— "Jules…" she continued, "I feel like he's watching us, David. Sometimes, I have the sensation that he's still here, in every little moment we live. I know it's impossible, but…" She paused, a shiver running through her. "I don't know if I should be grateful that he's still guiding me, or if I should distance myself from it, so I can finally move forward."
David stood up and walked toward her, his gaze sincere, his hand gently resting on her shoulder.
— "I think he doesn't want us to forget, Caroline. But he also doesn't want us to stay prisoners of the past. I think he wants us to find peace, together."
They stood there for a moment, a heavy silence between them, as if the room itself were closing in on their thoughts. Caroline closed her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. These past months had been a constant struggle—a battle against memories, against the fear of the future, and against the idea that, maybe, love wasn't enough to fix everything.
She slowly turned her head toward him, tears in her eyes.
— "But how, David? How do we fix everything? Because there are times when I feel lost, when I don't even know what I'm looking for, when everything seems so blurry."
David pulled her into his arms, a simple yet comforting gesture. He knew that Caroline's pain wasn't easy to understand, but he was ready to accept it in all its complexity. He didn't have a magic answer, no miracle cure. But he knew he wasn't going to run away.
— "We'll make it. Step by step. Because we're together."
Caroline nestled against him, seeking stability in his embrace. She knew their road wouldn't be easy. But for the first time since Jules's death, she felt ready to face the uncertainty, to give herself a chance. David was there, by her side. They were there, together, in this fragile but powerful breach they had just built.
---
A few weeks later, as they had grown accustomed to this new routine, Caroline received a letter. She hadn't been expecting this kind of mail. Upon opening the envelope, she found a short note, written hesitantly but legibly. It was a letter from a lawyer, asking her to come retrieve some personal belongings of Jules, items they hadn't been able to take at the time, and which had been stored after his death.
This letter triggered a new wave of emotions in Caroline. She knew she had to go, that it was time to face the past, to give her son the honor he deserved. But a part of her also felt immense apprehension. She didn't know if she was ready for this, if she could face the pain she had set aside.
David, seeing her distress, pulled her into his arms.
— "We'll do it together. If you want to go, I'll be there."
It was a silent offer, but full of support. Together, they would face this moment, together, they would gradually rid themselves of the suffering of the past, to open a new chapter.
And as Caroline prepared to face Jules's story, she understood that this moment, though difficult, might be the starting point of their true reconciliation. The weight of time, of memories and regrets, would slowly but surely begin to dissipate.