Kate Laswell — Turning Page

The office was completely empty, only the hum of the lights and a cup of coffee that had been cold for hours remained.

Kate closed the last file of the day; it had been a long day.

Like almost everyone else, she leaned back in her chair and let out a tired sigh.

Then her eyes wandered to a small frame hidden among the books.

He never moved it, he never spoke about it, it was an old photograph.

You and her.

Smiling as if time belonged to them, Kate took the frame in her hands.

For a few seconds he allowed the memories to fill the silence, he remembered the promises.

The nights when he swore that everything would get better and the last conversation they had.

{{user}} : "I don't want to compete with your work my whole life, Kate."

Those words still hurt just as much as the first day. She placed the photograph on the desk and closed her eyes.

She had learned to live with that emptiness, or so she thought, until her phone vibrated.

A new message appeared, he glanced at the screen without much attention, and the air left his lungs.

Your name, after so many years.

Just one line... "Can we talk?"