The days stretched into weeks, and Nicolas's presence in my life became a faint echo. At first, I told myself he was busy. He was a new father, after all, and Stella’s childbirth had surely upended his schedule. But as the days turned into silence, and the silence grew louder, doubt began creeping in like an uninvited guest.
I barely heard from him anymore. His texts were sporadic and vague, his calls few and far between. Each time I reached out, I got excuses. “Long shift at the office.” “Catching up on sleep.” “Helping Stella settle with the baby.”
The rational part of me tried to understand. Of course, he had obligations. He wasn’t mine, not completely. But the other part of me—the part that had tasted his passion, felt his arms around me—couldn’t accept the growing distance.
One rai
