Regaining Contact
After tugging down my sleeves, I made my way to the diner where Jason was already waiting. “Hey, man! Another year, huh?” he greeted me with a knowing nod. This was our tradition—lunch together after my visit, catching up on life in the comfort of routine. The little diner, with its familiar booths and warm atmosphere, held countless memories of these yearly conversations. We ordered our usual meals, the familiarity wrapping around us like a well-worn sweater.
Regaining Contact
The Absence of Emily
As the laughter faded, my mind wandered back to Emily’s absence, her harsh words from the morning echoing and dimming the glow of the day. “Everything okay with Emily?” Jason asked, noticing my fading smile. I shrugged, unsure how to explain the weight of her demand, still hanging over me like a stubborn cloud. Her absence pressed against the edges of our tradition, unsettling and impossible to ignore.
The Absence Of Emily
