Chapter Three: The Difference Between Sorry and Change
982 Words
On Saturday morning, Fidel stood in the kitchen, watching the French toast Patty was preparing.
“You've been quiet since you woke up,” Patty observed.
“I'm thinking.”
“About Raymond?”
Fidel sighed. “Is there anything else?”
Patty smiled faintly. “Well, there's the price of food, the state of the country, and the fact that you still owe me for the snacks you finished yesterday.”
Despite herself, Fidel laughed.
“There she is!” Patty exclaimed. “I was beginning to miss that laugh.”
Fidel helped arrange the toast on a plate before sitting at the table.
“Raymond messaged me last night,” she said.
“And what did His Majesty say this time?”
“That he loves me and will make things right.”
Patty shook her head. “Fidel, I know he loves you. But how many times can someone promise to change before you start looking for the change itself?”
Fidel stared at her breakfast.
“I don't know, Patty. I just don't want to give up on us.”
“Taking a step back doesn't mean giving up. Sometimes, it means giving yourself room to think.”
Fidel considered her words. She had spent so much time trying to understand Raymond's responsibilities that she had barely examined her own unhappiness.
She decided she needed a little space.
Not to punish him. Not to make him jealous. She simply wanted to hear her own thoughts without constantly waiting for his next message.
Later that morning, Patty received a call from a colleague who had two invitations to a perfume launch taking place that weekend.
When she ended the call, she turned to Fidel excitedly.
“Guess what? I've been invited to a perfume launch, and I can bring someone along.”
Fidel raised an eyebrow. “And you want me to come?”
“Obviously! You love perfumes, and you need to get out of this house. We can dress up, enjoy ourselves, and talk about something other than your relationship for once.”
Fidel hesitated.
“I'm not really in the mood.”
“You don't have to be in the mood to leave the house. Sometimes, you leave the house to find your mood.”
Fidel laughed softly.
“Please, just come with me,” Patty continued. “No pressure, no overthinking. Let's have a good time.”
After a moment, Fidel agreed.
“Fine. I'll go.”
Patty clapped her hands. “Excellent! My work here is done.”
Fidel smiled, grateful for her friend's determination to make her feel better.
That afternoon, Raymond arrived at their house without warning.
Fidel heard his voice from the sitting room and immediately felt a mixture of longing and exhaustion. A part of her wanted to rush out and hold him. Another part remembered their dinner conversation and the familiar promise that had followed it.
She remained in her room.
Patty went to the door.
“Hi, Raymond,” she greeted him.
“Hi, Patty. Is Fidel around?”
“Yes, she's here.”
“Can I see her?”
Patty hesitated before answering. “She's not ready to talk right now.”
Raymond's expression fell. “Did she tell you that?”
“She needs some time, Raymond. Please don't take it as a punishment.”
“I just want to make things right.”
“I know. But you can't rush her into feeling better because you're ready to apologise.”
He looked toward the hallway.
“Can you tell her I came?”
“I will.”
Raymond stood silently for a moment before nodding.
“Okay. Tell her I love her.”
“I will.”
He left without arguing, and Patty closed the door gently.
When she returned to Fidel's room, she found her sitting on the bed with her arms folded across her chest.
“He came,” Patty said.
“I heard.”
“He wanted to see you.”
“I know.”
“Are you okay?”
Fidel nodded, although her eyes told a different story.
“I miss him already, Patty. That's the problem. Even when I'm hurt, I still want him near me.”
Patty sat beside her.
“Missing someone doesn't mean you have to ignore what hurts you. You can love him and still need time to think.”
Fidel leaned against her friend's shoulder.
“What if taking this space makes things worse?”
“What if it helps you understand what needs to change?”
For once, Fidel didn't try to argue.
That evening, she picked up her phone and opened Raymond's chat. There was a new message.
I came by because I wanted to see you. I understand that you need time, and I'll respect that. I love you.
Fidel read it twice. She wanted to reply immediately, but she decided to wait until she could express herself honestly rather than respond out of fear of losing him.
She placed the phone aside and began preparing for the perfume launch with Patty.
As she chose her outfit, she felt a small sense of anticipation. For the first time in days, she was doing something that had nothing to do with Raymond, his promises, or their problems.
She was simply Fidel—a woman who loved perfumes, enjoyed good conversations, and deserved to feel happy.
Perhaps one evening out wouldn't solve anything.
Perhaps she would still miss Raymond every minute.
But she was willing to try.
As she and Patty left the house, Fidel took one last look at her phone before slipping it into her handbag.
For tonight, she would allow herself to live beyond the waiting.
She didn't know that the evening ahead would offer her an unexpected reminder of something she had been missing: the simple comfort of being heard.
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