Chapter 19: A New Beginning
225 Words
Sunday morning.
Aria was cleaning when her phone rang.
Unknown number.
"Hello?" Aria answered.
"Aria, it's Damian." His voice was soft. "Can we talk?"
Aria's heart raced. "About what?"
"About us. About Emma. About... maybe trying again."
Silence.
"Aria, I know I hurt you. But I love you. I never stopped. And I want to fight for us. For our family."
Aria closed her eyes. Tears fell.
"I don't know, Damian," Aria whispered. "I'm scared."
"I know," Damian said. "But what if we try? One day at a time."
Aria took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's try."
Damian exhaled. "Really?"
"Really," Aria said. "For Emma. And for us."
On the other line, Damian was smiling. "Thank you, Aria."
"Thank you too," Aria said. "For coming back."
That afternoon, the 3 of them went to the park.
Holding hands. Laughing.
A new beginning.
That night, Aria couldn't sleep.
She kept thinking about what Damian said.
"Let's try."
For years, she thought she'd never hear those words again.
But here they were.
Aria looked at Emma sleeping peacefully.
"For you, anak," Aria whispered. "Mommy will try."
The next morning, Damian texted:
"Good morning. Coffee later? Just us?"
Aria smiled and typed back: "Okay. 10 AM?"
"See you," Damian replied.
Aria stared at the message.
And for the first time in 3 years, she felt hope.
Real hope.
- Writer
