Chapter 41 #2
Orm's heart fluttered.
Lingling leaned closer.
Their foreheads touched.
Then she kissed Orm gently.
A soft kiss.
Nothing rushed.
Nothing demanding.
Just reassurance.
Just love.
Orm kissed her back.
When they separated, Lingling smiled.
"Good morning."
Orm smiled.
"Good morning."
Lingling kissed her again.
Then once more.
Orm laughed.
"We're supposed to get up."
"We are."
Neither moved.
"Anytime now."
"Mm-hmm."
They remained tangled together beneath the sheets.
Eventually, Lingling sighed dramatically.
"We're going to spend the entire morning in bed."
Orm smiled.
"I wouldn't mind."
Lingling grinned.
"Neither would I."
They stayed there a little longer.
Cuddling.
Talking quietly.
Stealing little kisses between sentences.
For those few minutes, the world outside didn't matter.
Paris didn't matter.
The past didn't matter.
The future didn't matter.
There was only this.
Orm's head against Lingling's chest.
Lingling's fingers running through her hair.
Their legs tangled together.
Their hands intertwined.
Their hearts slowly learning what it felt like to beat together again.
Then Lingling finally broke the comfortable silence.
"Orm?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you want to pick up Liam?"
Orm immediately lifted her head.
"Liam?"
Lingling nodded.
"I was thinking..."
She brushed a strand of hair away from Orm's face.
"We could pick him up from Sean's room."
Orm's smile appeared instantly.
"Really?"
"Really."
"And then?"
Lingling's eyes sparkled.
"We spend the day at the beach."
Orm's eyes softened.
"With Liam?"
"With Liam."
Orm smiled.
"Just us?"
Lingling nodded.
"Just us."
Orm hugged her again.
"Yes."
Lingling laughed.
"I knew you'd say yes."
Orm pulled away.
"Of course I would."
She smiled.
"I want today."
Lingling looked at her.
"Today?"
Orm nodded.
"Yesterday was about finding each other again."
She took Lingling's hand.
"Today can be about starting."
Lingling's eyes softened.
"Then let's start."
They finally got out of bed.
And for the first time in four years, getting ready for the day didn't feel like preparing to face another lonely morning.
It felt like preparing for a life.
A shared one.
They walked into the kitchen together.
Orm tied her hair back while Lingling opened the refrigerator.
"What do you want for breakfast?"
Orm looked inside.
"Anything."
Lingling stared at her.
"That's not an answer."
"Then surprise me."
"You trust me with breakfast?"
Orm laughed.
"Should I?"
Lingling looked offended.
"Excuse me?"
"You once burned toast."
"That was one time."
"It was black."
"It was slightly toasted."
"It was charcoal."
Lingling gasped.
"You're still making fun of me after four years?"
Orm smiled.
"I missed doing it."
Lingling's expression softened.
"So did I."
They looked at each other.
Then Orm reached for Lingling's hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
A simple gesture.
But it meant everything.
They began preparing breakfast together.
Orm handled the eggs while Lingling prepared the toast, determined to prove that she had improved.
They bumped shoulders.
Argued over the seasoning.
Laughed when Lingling nearly dropped a plate.
And when Lingling reached over to steal a piece of food from the pan, Orm slapped her hand away.
"That's not cooked yet."
"I was testing it."
"You were stealing."
"I was quality checking."
Orm laughed.
"You're impossible."
Lingling smiled.
"And you missed me."
Orm looked at her.
Her smile slowly softened.
"Every day."
Lingling's smile disappeared.
Her eyes filled.
She reached across the counter and took Orm's hand.
"Me too."
They stood there for a moment.
No grand declaration.
No dramatic promise.
Just two women holding hands in a quiet kitchen.
Starting again.
Their breakfast was simple.
But somehow, it tasted better than anything either of them had eaten in years.
Maybe because they weren't eating alone.
Maybe because, after four years, Orm could finally look across the table and see Lingling smiling back at her.
Maybe because there was somewhere they needed to go afterward.
Someone they needed to pick up.
A little boy waiting for them.
Liam.
Their future hadn't been decided yet.
There were still difficult conversations waiting for them.
There were still wounds.
There was still Paris.
There was still the complicated road ahead.
But none of that mattered for this morning.
Because today...
They were going to the beach.
Together.
With Liam.
And for the first time in four years, Orm didn't wake up wondering how she was going to survive another day without Lingling.
She woke up wondering how many more mornings she would get to wake up beside her.
And that question...
For once...
Didn't break her heart.
It gave her hope.
As Lingling reached across the table and squeezed her hand, Orm squeezed back.
Their eyes met.
And silently, they made the same promise.
Not forever.
Not yet.
Just tomorrow.
Then the day after.
Then the morning after that.
One day at a time.
One memory at a time.
One heartbeat at a time.
Until perhaps, one day, they would look back at this morning and realize...
This was where everything changed.
This was the morning they stopped grieving what they had lost.
And started building what they could still have.
Together.
-
The morning continued to unfold gently.
After breakfast, neither Lingling nor Orm was in any particular hurry.
No obligations demanding their attention.
Just a quiet morning in Phuket and the strange, beautiful realization that they had an entire day ahead of them.
Together.
Eventually, Orm glanced at Lingling.
"We should probably get ready."
Lingling nodded.
"Probably."
Neither moved.
Orm laughed.
"You're not helping."
"I'm comfortable."
"We're going to the beach."
"I know."
"You need to take a bath."
Lingling raised an eyebrow.
"So do you."
Orm stared at her.
Then she laughed.
"Fine."
The two of them disappeared into the bathroom together.
There was nothing hurried or complicated about it.
After four years apart, even the simplest moments felt strangely precious.
They talked.
They teased each other.
They laughed when they accidentally reached for the same towel.
Orm complained when Lingling took too long.
Lingling accused her of being impatient.
It was ordinary.
So painfully ordinary.
And yet, for two people who had spent four years dreaming about ordinary moments together, it felt extraordinary.
When they finally came out, they had somehow managed to coordinate their clothes without even planning it.
Lingling wore black board shorts and a blue polo shirt, the sleeves casually rolled up.
Orm wore a beautiful blue sundress that moved gently around her legs whenever she walked.
They looked at each other.
Then at their clothes.
Orm smiled.
"We match."
Lingling grinned.
"Apparently."
"You planned this."
"I didn't."
"You did."
"I swear I didn't."
Orm laughed.
"Fine. I'll believe you."
Lingling reached for her hand.
"Ready?"
Orm looked at their joined hands.
Then smiled.
"Ready."
They walked down the hallway toward Sean's room.
It was on the same floor as Orm's hotel room, only a short distance away.
When Sean opened the door, they barely had time to say good morning.
Because the moment Liam saw Lingling...
His entire face lit up.
"Wingwing!"
The four-year-old ran toward her.
Lingling barely had time to bend down before Liam launched himself into her arms.
She caught him easily.
"There you are, champ!"
Liam wrapped his tiny arms around her neck.
"Wingwing!"
Lingling laughed.
"I missed you too."
Liam immediately planted a kiss on her cheek.
Then another.
Then, after turning toward Orm, he reached for her.
"Mommy!"
Orm laughed as Liam leaned forward and kissed her lips.
"Good morning, Mommy!"
Then he kissed both of her cheeks.
"Good morning, baby."
Liam smiled brightly.
"You wook pwetty."
Orm's heart melted.
"Thank you."
Lingling watched them with a soft smile.
There was something about seeing Liam so naturally affectionate with both of them that made her chest ache.
Sean stood at the doorway.
He didn't interrupt.
He simply watched.
And for the first time in a long time, there was genuine happiness in his expression.
He had spent enough time carrying guilt.
Enough time watching Orm carry the weight of a decision she had made years ago.
And now, seeing the two women standing together with Liam between them...
He knew something had changed.
Maybe everything wasn't fixed.
Maybe it would take time.
But they had finally talked.
Finally faced the things that had haunted them.
Finally given themselves permission to begin healing.
Lingling looked at Sean.
She gave him a small nod.
"Thank you."
Sean shook his head.
"You don't have to thank me."
"I do."
Lingling glanced at Liam and Orm.
"For telling me your side of the story and for beinh your best in taking care of them."
Sean smiled faintly.
"I was supposed to."
He hesitated.
Then his expression became more serious.
"And I'm sorry."
Lingling looked at him.
"For those four years."
Sean swallowed.
"I know saying sorry won't give either of you those years back."
"No."
"But I am still sorry."
Lingling nodded.
"I know."
Sean looked at Orm.
Then back at Lingling.
"Thank you for coming back to her."
Lingling's eyes softened.
"I didn't really know how to stay away."
Sean smiled.
"I think she needed to hear that."
Orm pretended not to hear them.
"I'm standing right here."
Sean laughed.
"I know."
Liam tugged at Lingling's hand.
"Wingwing, beach!"
Lingling looked down.
"Beach?"
Liam nodded enthusiastically.
"Beach!"
Orm laughed.
"I think that's our cue."
Sean smiled.
"Have fun."
Liam kiss his cheeks and waved goodbye.
"Bye daddy!"
Then he turned immediately back to Lingling.
"Wingwing, carry me."
Lingling laughed.
"Of course."
And just like that, the three of them left.
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