Chapter 97: Goodbyes hurt

Chapter 97: Goodbyes hurt
The soft sizzle of eggs in the frying pan filled the kitchen with warmth. Morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting golden stripes across the white tiles. Jane stood at the stove, gently flipping the omelet, her mind wandering as it usually did—wondering what the day would be like, wondering if Kim would even eat with her, wondering if the smiles he’d given her lately meant anything real.

Then she felt it—arms, warm and firm, wrap around her waist from behind.

She froze.

Her breath caught in her throat, the spatula slipping from her fingers and landing on the counter with a light clink. Slowly, she turned her head, her heart thudding hard in her chest.

Kim.

He was smiling softly, forehead resting lightly against her temple, like the weight between them had finally loosened.

“Morning,” he said, his voice low.

Jane blinked, stunned. “Morning,” she whispered back, unsure if she was dreaming.

Their baby’s cry broke the stillness. Kim gently let go and nodded toward the bedroom. “Go check on him,” he said, already reaching for the spatula. “I’ll finish breakfast.”

“You... what?”

He gave her a half smile. “I can handle a few eggs.”

Jane nodded dumbly and obeyed, her legs moving on instinct as her mind tried to catch up. In all their time living together, Kim had never once offered to make breakfast. Not even toast.

When she returned, freshly dressed and with the baby in her arms, the kitchen smelled of eggs and toasted bread. Kim stood by the table, arranging two plates. The baby reached toward him, and Kim smiled, kissing the little boy’s forehead before pulling out Jane’s chair.

“I’m dreaming, right?” Jane said as she sat.

He chuckled. “If you are, we’re both in it.”

They ate quietly at first, the clinking of cutlery the only sound between them. Jane watched him carefully, still trying to figure out if this was some kind of strange, hopeful mirage.

Finally, she couldn’t hold it in.

“Why?” she asked softly.

He looked up.

“I mean… this. The smile. The breakfast. The hug. What changed?” Her voice cracked slightly. “Not that I’m not grateful. I am. I just… I need to understand.”

Kim wiped his hands with a napkin and set it down. He leaned back, sighing deeply. “I’ve done a lot of thinking, Jane. About us. About everything. I’ve been angry, confused, broken. But lately, I’ve been trying to look beyond all that.”

He looked at her earnestly, his voice dropping.

“You stayed. Even when I treated you like a stranger. Even after all the silence, the distance… you stayed. And not just for the baby. You’ve taken care of me in ways I didn’t even know I needed.”

Tears stung Jane’s eyes. She lowered her gaze.

“I was waiting for someone else,” he continued. “Holding on to something that’s already gone. But I’ve realized, that while I’ve been looking backward, you’ve been here—trying, hoping, praying.”

She looked up at him again, eyes wide and wet.

“I want to try, Jane. Not for the baby. Not just because I owe you. But because I want to see what loving you would be like—what it would be like to wake up and know I’m home.”

Her breath hitched. She reached out across the table, and he met her hand halfway, their fingers intertwining.

“Are you saying this because you feel guilty?” she asked, voice trembling.

“No,” he said firmly. “I’m saying it because I’m ready.”

He stood and walked around the table. Jane stood too. And there, in the quiet of the morning, they leaned into each other. When his lips touched hers, it wasn’t rushed or filled with desperation. It was slow. Certain. The kind of kiss that spoke of a promise not yet fulfilled, but finally, intentionally made.

After breakfast, the day passed in a strange blur for Jane. Her heart was light, but she didn’t want to celebrate too soon. Part of her feared he might wake up the next day and forget everything.

By evening, her heart urged her to do something else—something brave. She owed it to Riele.

When Jane arrived at Riele’s house, the porch light had just come on. She clutched her baby a little tighter and rang the doorbell.

Riele opened the door, surprised but composed. Her eyes dropped to the baby, then rose again to meet Jane’s.

“Hi,” Jane said softly.

“Hi,” Riele responded. “Come in.”

Inside, Riele offered her a seat. Jane sat, her baby cooing lightly in her lap. The silence was heavy for a moment before Riele broke it.

“Something on your mind?”

Jane nodded. “Yes. A lot actually.”

Riele stood and went to the kitchen, returning with a glass of cold juice. She handed it to Jane.

“I’m angry,” Riele admitted, her voice flat but not hostile. “But I was raised better. Hospitality comes first.”

Jane accepted the drink with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

She took a sip before speaking. “I wanted to thank you. Not just for today… but for everything. For stepping away. For talking to Kim. For letting go.”

Riele didn’t answer immediately.

Jane continued, her voice cracking, “Something changed in him, and I know it wasn’t just time or the baby. It was you… and what you said to him. He made breakfast today, Riele. He told me he wants to try. Really try.”

Riele’s chest tightened.

“I don’t know if it’ll last, or if tomorrow he’ll feel different. But today, today I felt like I had a husband.”

Tears formed in Jane’s eyes as she looked at Riele. “I don’t know how to thank you for that. But I needed you to know. You helped me get him back.”

Riele forced a smile, nodding slowly. “I’m glad,” she said, though her voice betrayed the ache in her chest.

Jane stood, still holding the baby. “I know it wasn’t easy for you. And I’m not asking for friendship or approval. Just… peace.”

Riele rose too, and despite everything—the betrayal, the heartbreak. She reached out and hugged Jane.

“Take care of him,” Riele whispered. “And take care of yourself too.”

Jane nodded, wiping her tears as she turned to leave.

As the door closed behind her, Riele stood in silence, her hands still clenched at her sides. She stared at the spot where Jane had just stood, then let out a slow breath and sat back down.

She thought of Kim’s smile, his voice, the moments they once shared, and the pain it all brought.

But then she thought of Jay. His steadiness. His warmth. The way he looked at her like she was the beginning and end of something meaningful.

Her heart still ached, but maybe—just maybe—he could be the one to ease it.

Outside, the evening breeze brushed against the windows, carrying the sound of distant laughter.

And inside, Riele sat quietly, staring at her phone screen. She didn't know what the next day would bring, but she knew one thing for sure:

Some goodbyes hurt more than others. But maybe this one, though painful, was finally right.