Echoes of yesterday

Continuation

Years passed, and life carried Sandra and Jerry in different directions. Sandra had moved to a different city for university, burying herself in her studies and building a career. She often found herself strolling through campus, catching glimpses of people who reminded her of Jerry, but the faces were never his. With each passing year, the memories of him grew dimmer, yet some part of her held onto the faint hope that one day, fate would bring him back into her life.

For Jerry, the years were harder. He stayed in their hometown, working at his father’s auto repair shop, the same town where every corner, every street, reminded him of Sandra. He had tried moving on, even dated a few women over the years, but no one filled the empty space Sandra left behind. His heart had always belonged to her, and he didn’t know how to get it back.

One evening, as Jerry walked through the town square, he saw a small bookshop that had recently opened. The sight of it pulled him in, though he couldn’t say why. As he browsed the shelves, his eyes fell on an old, worn book titled “Echoes of Yesterday.” The title felt like a sign, as if the universe was mocking him with memories he couldn’t quite shake.

As he opened the book, a folded piece of paper fell out. He unfolded it carefully, recognizing the neat handwriting immediately. His heart raced—it was a letter. From Sandra.

---

“Dear Jerry,”

“I don’t know if you’ll ever read this, but writing it feels like the only way I can say goodbye to the part of me that still misses you. It’s been years since we last spoke, and life has taken me far from where we started. Yet, no matter how much time passes, I can’t forget you. I hope you’re happy wherever you are, and maybe one day, when the world feels smaller, we’ll find our way back to each other.”

---

Jerry read the letter over and over, his heart pounding. How had it ended up here, in this shop? Was this some kind of coincidence, or had Sandra left it for him, hoping he’d find it one day?

Without a second thought, he left the shop, clutching the letter like a lifeline. He had to find her. He couldn’t let the echoes of the past be all that remained of them. There was still a chance—there had to be.

---

On the other side of the city, Sandra sat by her window, gazing out at the rain. Her phone buzzed with messages and emails, but she ignored them. Her thoughts were with Jerry again, just like they had been every night since she left. She had written that letter years ago, leaving it in a book she knew he might read one day. But as the years passed, she had given up hope that he’d ever find it.

But tonight, for some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change.

Just as she reached to turn off the lamp beside her bed, her phone lit up with a new message.

It was Jerry.

"I found your letter. Please tell me it’s not too late."

Sandra’s breath caught in her throat. Her hands trembled as she stared at the screen, hardly believing what she was seeing. After all these years, he had found her—he still remembered.

With her heart racing, she typed a reply.

"It’s never too late."

---

The following day, they met at the old café where they used to spend their afternoons, laughing about the simplest things. When Jerry saw Sandra walk through the door, it was as if no time had passed at all. She was still the same girl who had captured his heart all those years ago.

Sandra hesitated at the door, her eyes meeting Jerry's. She smiled, her heart full of a warmth she hadn’t felt in years. And just like that, the echoes of yesterday became more than just memories—they were a chance to start again.