Too Close to Let Go
826 Words
The days after their phone call became dangerous in the softest way possible.
Kenneth and Bertha were no longer together.
But emotionally?
They were slowly slipping back into each other’s lives.
Again.
Morning texts returned first.
“Have a good meeting today.”
“Don’t skip breakfast this time.”
“You sounded tired last night.”
Small messages.
Simple messages.
But every conversation reopened emotional doors both of them had tried hard to close.
Kenneth noticed the change immediately.
He smiled more now.
Slept better.
Worked with less emotional heaviness.
And that scared him.
Because Bertha’s presence still affected his peace too easily.
One evening, Tunde visited Kenneth’s apartment unexpectedly.
The moment Kenneth placed his phone face down on the table after smiling at a message, Tunde narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“That’s Bertha, isn’t it?”
Kenneth sighed quietly.
“It’s complicated.”
Tunde laughed.
“No. It’s emotional.”
Kenneth leaned back against the couch silently.
Because his friend wasn’t wrong.
“You forgave her already?” Tunde asked carefully.
Kenneth shook his head immediately.
“That’s the problem. I haven’t.”
“Then why are you letting her back in?”
Kenneth stared down at his hands for a long moment.
“Because I still love her.”
The honesty in his voice surprised even himself.
Tunde became serious now.
“Love alone isn’t enough, Kenneth.”
Kenneth nodded slowly.
“I know.”
“Then be careful.”
Those words stayed in Kenneth’s mind long after Tunde left.
Because deep down…
he knew he was standing dangerously close to repeating the same emotional cycle.
Meanwhile, Bertha had started feeling alive again.
For months after the breakup, she had lived with constant guilt and emptiness.
But now Kenneth was speaking to her again.
Laughing with her again.
Slowly softening again.
And every little moment gave her hope.
That Saturday night, Kenneth finally agreed to see her again.
Not for a relationship conversation.
Not for closure.
Just dinner.
At least that’s what they both pretended.
The restaurant overlooked the ocean, glowing beautifully beneath soft golden lights while slow music played in the background.
Bertha arrived first.
Her heart raced uncontrollably the moment Kenneth walked inside.
Black shirt.
Rolled sleeves.
Calm confidence.
He looked painfully attractive.
And the moment their eyes met, the chemistry returned instantly.
Still alive.
Still dangerous.
“You’re staring,” Kenneth said while sitting down.
Bertha smiled softly.
“You make it difficult not to.”
Kenneth shook his head with a faint laugh.
And just like that…
the tension eased.
Dinner felt almost natural again.
They teased each other. Shared stories. Argued playfully about old memories.
At one point, Bertha laughed so hard she instinctively grabbed Kenneth’s arm.
Both of them froze slightly afterward.
Because physical closeness still carried emotional electricity between them.
Later that night, they walked along the quiet waterfront together.
The cool air moved softly around them while city lights reflected across the water.
Bertha walked closer to him unconsciously.
Kenneth noticed.
But didn’t move away.
“I missed this,” she whispered.
Kenneth looked ahead quietly.
“So did I.”
The honesty between them had become more dangerous lately.
More vulnerable.
More intimate.
After a few moments, Bertha finally asked the question sitting heavily inside her chest.
“Do you think we could ever fix us?”
Kenneth’s expression changed immediately.
The softness faded slightly.
And Bertha regretted asking almost instantly.
“I don’t know,” he answered honestly.
Her chest tightened painfully.
“You still don’t trust me.”
Kenneth stopped walking.
Then looked at her carefully.
“I want to.”
The pain in his voice broke her heart.
“Then let me prove it.”
Kenneth stared at her silently.
And for a moment, Bertha saw how exhausted love had made him.
“You don’t understand what betrayal does to someone who already carries too much pressure,” he said quietly.
Bertha’s eyes filled immediately.
“I know I hurt you.”
“No,” Kenneth shook his head softly. “You shattered the safest part of my life.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks instantly.
And Kenneth hated himself for making her cry.
Without thinking, he stepped closer and wiped one of her tears away gently.
The touch softened both of them immediately.
Bertha looked up at him emotionally.
“I never stopped loving you.”
Kenneth closed his eyes briefly.
“That’s what makes this so hard.”
And then silence returned.
Not empty silence.
But the kind filled with unfinished love and emotional exhaustion.
Two people standing inches apart…
wanting each other desperately…
while fear stood painfully between them.
Kenneth finally pulled her into a slow hug.
Bertha melted against him instantly, holding him tightly like she was afraid he might disappear again.
And honestly…
Kenneth held her the same way too.
Because no matter how broken things had become…
letting go of each other still felt impossible.
- Writer
