We have something to discuss

Cindy lay awake in bed, her eyes wide open, staring into the dark void of her bedroom. The bad dream had left her shaken, her heart racing and her breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. She had tried to close her eyes and fall back into the false comfort of sleep, but it was impossible. Each time she shut her eyes, the image of Alexander slipping further away from her haunted her like a relentless specter.

She sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees as she replayed the memories of her life with Alexander like an old film reel. The moments flashed by—each one more precious than the last. She remembered the first time they met, the awkwardness that had melted into familiarity, the laughter that echoed in their shared spaces, the warmth of his presence that had once filled every corner of her world. Now, all that was left was an unbearable emptiness.