Until the Ink Dries

Chapter 3: Tangled Emotions ( Mia’s POV)

The rain hammered against Mia’s office window in a steady rhythm. Each drop was like a silent echo of the storm inside her chest. She hadn’t slept much; every time she closed her eyes, she heard Elijah’s voice again and again: “I need you. I can’t do this without you.” The words stuck to her like smoke, making it hard to breathe.

Mia scratched her temples, feeling tired all the way down to her bones. The divorce papers were still on her desk, where they had been since the day before. She had promised herself that she would look over them this morning, make a choice, and take charge. But every time she tried to grab them, her hands wouldn’t move. Signing them made it real. It meant accepting that everything she had built with Elijah, the years, the promises, the life, had been for nothing.

Her phone rang, breaking the silence. It was Jake.

Jake:

“Hey, Mia. I just wanted to check that we’re still going to get coffee today. It’s 10 AM, right?”

The weight in her chest got a little less. Jake. The one conversation in the last two days that didn’t make her feel like she was going to drown. She typed back right away.

Mia:

“Yes, still on. I’ll see you at 10.”

Mia put her phone down and looked out the window again, watching the rain blur the city below. People down there were living normal lives, with no betrayal or tough choices. She was envious of them. She sighed, picked up her purse and coat, and left her office.

She couldn’t stay in this space any longer with all the legal papers and memories around her. She had to take a breath. She needed something real. She needed to know what it was like to be more than just a broken wife.

The café was two blocks from her job. It was a quiet place where the smell of cinnamon and freshly ground coffee beans filled the air. Mia felt safe because of the warm light coming in through the windows and the low buzz of people talking.

She saw Jake right away. He was sitting at a small table by the window with a notebook open in front of him and a pen tapping on the page. When he looked up and saw her, his face lit up.

Jake:

“Hey,” he said as she walked up to him. His smile was real and easy. “You did it.”

Mia, sitting across from him, said, “Not really. It’s been one of those mornings.”

Jake’s face relaxed, but his eyes showed worry.

Jake:

“One of those mornings or one of those weeks?”

Mia let out a breath that sounded like a laugh.

Mia:

“Both.”

Jake didn’t push. He didn’t ask her to explain or give more information. He just nodded, signaling the barista for two coffees, then leaned back in his chair to give Mia some space. She didn’t know how much she needed that.

Jake:

“So… what do you need right now? Are you bored? Want help? Or do you just want someone to sit here and drink your expensive coffee in peace?”

Mia smiled.

Mia:

“All of the above?”

Jake put his hands up as if to say he was giving up.

Jake:

“Done.” He leaned back and looked way too happy with himself. “I should warn you, though. The advice I give is often bad. When I told my sister to ‘just talk it out’ with her ex, she told me I couldn’t give her any more relationship advice.”

Mia laughed, and it was a real, honest laugh that surprised her. She hadn’t expected to feel anything other than agony today.

Mia:

“Noted. I’ll keep my hopes low.”

Jake:

“Smart lady.”

They easily moved into talking about work, books, and the crazy traffic Mia had dealt with that morning. Jake talked with excitement about his interviews and research for an article on business ethics. His hands moved around as he told the story. Mia paid close attention, and for the first time in days, her mind felt calm.

She needed someone who saw her as more than just a game piece, a problem to solve, or a part of his carefully built kingdom. Not big gestures or fancy meals.

Jake:

“How about you? What’s your story?”

Mia hesitated, her fingers tightening around the cup. The warmth gave her comfort.

Mia:

“It’s… not easy.”

Jake:

“That’s how most good stories are,” he said, his eyes softening with understanding.

Mia looked up at him and saw that he wasn’t judging or getting impatient. She wanted to tell him everything because she was curious and open, but she wasn’t ready yet. Not yet.

Mia:

“I’m just trying to figure out what to do next. I worked on something I thought was strong for a long time, but now I don’t know.” She paused. “I feel like I’m standing in the wreckage and trying to decide if I should rebuild or leave.”

Jake stared at her for a moment, lost in thought.

Jake:

“Maybe you don’t have to decide right now. Maybe you should just deal with it one day at a time until you know what to do.”

Mia’s throat got tight.

Mia:

“And what if it never does?”

Jake:

“Then you just keep going. Because it’s worse to be stuck than to not know.”

His words made her feel better. She wasn’t sure if he was right, but she really wanted to believe him. They talked for another hour and laughed at Jake’s stories about his college years when he made bad choices and slightly better ones. Mia laughed harder than she had in months, and with each passing minute, the weight on her chest got lighter.

When they finally got up to leave, Mia realized she didn’t want to go back to work. She didn’t want to deal with the divorce papers or the silence that came with them. As they went outside, she said, “This was nice.”

The rain had stopped, and the light drizzle was still going on.

Mia:

“I had to have it.”

Jake:

“I’m glad.”

Mia:

“And if you ever need something else to do, you know where to find me.”

Jake smiled.

Jake:

“Anytime.”

Mia watched him walk away with his hands in his jacket pockets and felt a little better. The afternoon sun came through the windows and made long shadows on the floor when Mia got back to her desk. They were still there, waiting for her to sign the divorce papers.

Her phone rang. It was Elijah.

Elijah:

“Mia, please. Can we meet? I know I don’t deserve it, but I had to see you. Just once. Please.”

Her jaw tightened, and her thumb hovered over the screen. She wanted to ignore it and do what Jake had told her to do, but a part of her, the part that still remembered their wedding day, was unsure. I can’t do this alone.

His words kept echoing in her head, making her feel heavy and stuck. Mia didn’t answer the phone and hung up. She wasn’t ready to see him. She wasn’t ready to let him back in yet. She was still trying to figure out who she was without him.

Her phone rang again. This time, it was Jake.

Jake:

“Are we going to have coffee again tomorrow? Ten in the morning? I’m not a good therapist, but I’m a great listener.”

Mia smiled and typed back right away.

Mia:

“I’ll be there.”

When she looked at the divorce papers again, something changed inside her. She wasn’t sure what yet, but she was starting to realize that she might not have to do this by herself anymore. The rain was over. The city shone with the soft light of the afternoon, ready for a new beginning. And for the first time in a long time, Mia thought she might be ready as well.