Craving Uncle Leornad

Silver bless

Emilia kept herself ground in the lie they had both agreed upon. She moved through her daily routine like a ghost of her former self at the same time trying to be the girl she once was before everything shifted between her and Leonard. Mornings were spent greeting him with a forced smile filled with an act of casual politeness during brief conversations. She spent her evenings locked away in her room, carefully avoiding his presence as he, in turn, withdrew to his solitude self.

Yet inside, Emilia was a fuming storm, a mess of barely contained emotions. Every moment around Leonard was a battle for control. The air between them thrummed with thick and stifling, tautness like the unspoken words neither dared to say aloud. Their brief stolen glances and the charged silences reminded her constantly of what they had shared. Worse yet, it screamed of what they were both trying.. desperately, more over to pretend had never happened.

Leonard appeared resolute and rigid in his determination to return things to how they had been. His interactions with her were strained, clipped, and mechanical. They no longer had those shared dinners or spent time watching movies late into the night. In fact, nothing ever happened between them because he would vanish without warning, excusing himself to his study or taking long, silent walks that left her alone with nothing but her swirling thoughts.

Emilia got the idea that he was intentionally avoiding her cause it couldn't be any more obvious than it was. She couldn’t be too aggressive by shoving him so far that he disappeared altogether.

But neither could she let him drift beyond her reach, so she tried to think of something clever or something that would remind Leonard of the bond and the connection that had once been brief but unforgettable. It wasn’t a question of *if* she would reclaim his heart, but *when*. That was the real deal.

During that morning, Emilia descended the stairs with measured steps, her fingers trailing down the rails, keeping her emotions pushed tightly inside. Leonard was already in the kitchen, his back to her as he sipped his coffee. He looked serene and detached as if their passionate escapades had never taken place.

"Smells good in here, what are you making?" Emilia forced a bright smile, trying to inject a casual tone into her voice as she reached for a glass of orange juice.

"Coconut blueberry pancakes. " Leonard responded with a nod, his voice distant like he were speaking to a stranger.

That..hurt.

She took a seat across from him anyway as she kept her smile in place, determined to uphold the illusion of being normal. The breakfast table felt like a battlefield of suppressed emotions, and though their conversation remained minimal, the silence wasn’t as excruciating as before. Emilia kept her thoughts light, her demeanour breezy, hoping that this facade of ease might lure him back to her. If she could just maintain this charade, maybe Leonard would relax, or he’d remember how things used to be between them.

After breakfast, Emilia retreated to the living room, her heart hammering in her chest. She had a call scheduled with her parents, and she needed to maintain the pretence with them, too. The charade had to be flawless. Taking a deep breath, she plastered on a smile as she clicked the button to start the video call.

Her parents appeared on the screen almost immediately, their faces lighting up at the sight of their daughter. “Emilia, sweetheart!” her mother beaming voice echoed through the speakers, waving energetically. “How are you, darling?”

“I’m good, Mum,” Emilia chirped, her tone overly cheerful. “How’s the trip going?”

“Oh, it’s been just wonderful,” her father chimed in a voice so warm. “We’ve seen so many breathtaking places, and the work here..well, it’s going better than we ever anticipated.”

Emilia’s smile widened, her heart pounding faster as she nodded along. “That’s great! I’m so glad everything’s working out.”

Her mother’s expression softened, and her gaze became more focused. “And what about you, Emilia?” she asked gently. “How are things with Leonard? Is everything alright?”

Emilia felt her stomach twist, but she quickly masked the internal flinch with another too-bright smile.“Oh, everything’s fine, Mum. Leonard’s been... great. We’ve both been keeping busy with all kinds of stuff, you know how it is.”

Her mother sighed in relief. “Oh, we were a little concerned about leaving you two for so long, but it sounds like you’re managing just fine.”

Emilia nodded, heart racing, waiting for the perfect opening to ask the question she had been rehearsing in her head since that morning. “Actually, speaking of the trip… do you have any idea when you’ll be coming back?”

Her parents exchanged glances before her father spoke. “Well… actually, we were going to tell you.”He paused, obviously hesitant to drop the news. “The trip’s going to take a bit longer than we initially planned. ”

Emilia’s pulse paced as she struggled to keep her face neutral. Bubbles of excitement began to stir inside her, but she kept her voice steady. “Oh? How much longer?”

Her mother sighed, her slight pale face looking apologetic. “It could be another few weeks.. or maybe up to a month. Is that alright, dear?”

Yes!. More than the word, alright.

Emilia’s heart soared, though she worked hard to maintain her composed look. “That’s totally fine, Mum. Really..I’m doing perfectly well here. Take as much time as you need.”

Her parents looked visibly relieved when they exchanged grateful smiles before her father said, “We’re so glad to hear that, Emilia. Thank you for being so understanding.”

This wouldn’t be any different, by the way. They always make plans and ask her if thats fine as if they would really cancel anything if she'd say no. All those numerous times she felt neglected and missing them, she'd be sad,but at that time, it was all that she needed. Away from them and more time with

They chatted for a few more minutes, her parents biting her ear off with stories of their travels, while Emilia responded with practised enthusiasm while her mind was racing ahead. This was the break she needed..more time. More opportunities to draw Leonard back to her. She could afford to be patient now and find the perfect opportunity to break through the walls he had built between them.

The call finally ended, and Emilia shut her laptop, leaning back on the couch with a ridiculous smile tugging at her lips. Sue her, but she couldn’t help the excitement bubbling inside her. She had more time. Yay! She was going to use those extra days and weeks to turn things in her favour.

She dare not waste a single second of it.

In the next few days, she observed him closely, and when his guard lowered, she thrived in those brief flashes of warmth. Like how he hesitated at the door before disappearing on one of his long walks, she was going to win him back, that's for sure.