Chapter 14: Between the One Who Left and the One Who Stayed
That day, the sky was far too bright for a heart wrapped in gloom.
Aurel stood in front of the mirror, hands resting on her now-round belly. Her fingers moved slowly, as if trying to feel the rhythm of life within.
"Your father…" she whispered softly, "…might be sitting alone somewhere we never imagined."
She closed her eyes. Behind her eyelids, Rey's image appeared again—
sitting by the hospital window, hugging his knees, calling her name… and crying.
That memory hadn't faded.
Not even after their meeting two weeks ago.
---
Since that day, Aurel could no longer live as she used to.
She tried returning to her routine—waking up early, cooking, greeting Damar with a smile when he came home.
But everything felt… empty.
As if part of her had been left behind in that hospital room—with Rey, with a wound that never truly healed.
And Damar...
He wasn't clueless. He knew something had changed.
---
That night, Damar sat at the dinner table, quietly watching his wife—who hadn't spoken much since the afternoon.
"You saw him, didn't you?"
Aurel flinched. The spoon in her hand fell onto her plate.
"What?"
"Rey." Damar's voice was calm, but sharp. "I know you saw him."
Aurel said nothing. Her breath caught in her throat.
"Bu Siti came to the house last week. She didn't know I was home. I heard everything you two said."
Damar looked straight at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Aurel lowered her head. "I was afraid…"
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of losing everything."
Silence fell.
Damar took a deep breath and stood from his chair. He walked to the window, staring outside.
"I know you're not done with your past," he said softly.
"But I have a heart too, Rel."
Tears streamed down Aurel's cheeks.
"I love you, Dam… I really tried, but…"
"But you're still thinking about him."
Aurel didn't answer.
"If you still love him, why did you accept me back then?"
Damar turned to face her, his voice cracking.
"Why did you let me be part of your life if half of you was still stuck in the past?"
Aurel sobbed.
"Because I thought he would never come back… I thought he was gone forever…"
"Turns out you were wrong."
--
That night, Damar slept on the couch. Aurel couldn't sleep.
She sat on the bed, staring at her wedding photo.
Beside her, Rey's red bracelet was hidden in the drawer.
Her heart was torn—
Between the man who came when she was broken…
and the man she had always waited for,
but who came back when everything was already too late.
---
The next morning, Aurel returned to the hospital. This time alone.
She brought a small box containing old photos of her and Rey, and the red bracelet he once gave her.
When she entered Rey's room, he was sleeping.
But when he opened his eyes, a small smile formed.
"You came again…"
Aurel sat on the chair beside the bed.
"Do you remember me?"
Rey nodded.
"Sometimes yes… sometimes no. But this feeling is always here.
The feeling… of peace when you're around."
Aurel held his hand.
"I want you to get better. I want you to live in peace…"
Rey looked into her eyes.
"If I get better… will you still be here?"
Aurel fell silent.
Then slowly, she shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I'm married, Rey… and I'm pregnant."
Rey smiled.
But his smile never reached his eyes.
"I came back too late, didn't I?"
Aurel squeezed his hand tighter.
"You're not late…
You just came home… to a house that's already empty."
Rey turned toward the window.
"I often dream of us sitting on that hill again," he said quietly.
"Just the two of us.
You still wore your denim jacket… and I still had that old motorcycle."
Aurel cried.
Rey gave her a small smile.
"Thank you…
for once loving me."
And that day, Aurel knew…
Their love hadn't died.
But the world had already forced them
to bury it alive.