HOME; No Longer Exist
The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, mirroring the weight in Kathi’s heart. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring the image of Leo, but not the pain etched across his face. His words echoed, each one a shard of glass tearing through the tapestry of their memories.
“You found another home?” she repeated, voice trembling. It felt like an accusation, but it carried the raw vulnerability of a betrayed heart.
Leo winced. “It’s not like that, Kathi. It’s different.”
“Different? How can love be different? Don’t you think I deserve to know?” Her voice rose, laced with frustration and hurt.
“It’s not about deserving, Kathi. It’s about… fitting in. You were my first love, the fire that ignited my soul. But somewhere along the way, the warmth turned into a scorching heat, burning away the parts of me that didn’t fit in your world.”
“And are you sure it’s not you who changed, Leo?” Kathi countered, her voice gaining strength. “Did you ever try to communicate these feelings? Did you ever ask me to change, to understand your needs?”
“I tried, Kathi, I really did. But it felt like you couldn’t see beyond your own expectations of what our future should be.”
“And what about my expectations, Leo? Were they so unreasonable? Did I ever ask you to be someone you weren’t?”
“No, but…” Leo faltered, unable to meet her gaze.
“But what?” Kathi pressed, tears tracing angry paths down her cheeks. “But you found someone who fits your new mold, someone who doesn’t challenge you, who lets you be whoever you want to be, even if it means leaving me behind?”
“It’s not that simple, Kathi. It’s about…”
“Is it about not loving me anymore?” she interrupted, her voice cracking. “Because if it is, then just say it, Leo. Don’t hide behind excuses about fitting in and finding another home.”
Silence descended again, heavier this time, thick with unspoken truths and the weight of their crumbling love. Leo opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Finally, he looked at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and regret.
“Yes, Kathi,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I don’t love you the way I used to. Maybe I never did, not in the way you needed me to.”
The words hit her like a physical blow, stealing the air from her lungs. The future they had painted together, the dreams whispered under starlit skies, crumbled around her.
“I understand,” she finally said, her voice hoarse. But the understanding was a bitter pill to swallow, laced with the aftertaste of betrayal and self-doubt.
Leo reached out, hesitant, but she pulled away. His touch, once a source of comfort, now held the chilling reminder of what they had lost.
“I need some time,” she whispered, turning away. Each step felt like a battle, the weight of her broken heart threatening to pull her down.
As she walked away, she didn’t look back. There was nothing left to see but the ruins of a love that couldn’t withstand the winds of change. The future she had envisioned was gone, replaced by a path shrouded in uncertainty. But Kathi knew, with a newfound strength born from heartbreak, that she would find her way. She would build a new home, one brick at a time, a home that nurtured all parts of her, a home that truly fit. And maybe, just maybe, somewhere down the line, she would find love again, a love that wouldn’t leave her searching for understanding, but embrace her wholeheartedly, flaws and all.
“Sometimes things are really out of control, you can never force someone to stay and you can’t able to bring back the admiration, the affection and the love they once had for you. Even though you still love them, if they choose to let go and stay away you have to be brave to accept the fact that you’ve done enough. More than enough.”
