I was free from my job as I had maternity leave for 5 more months. Everything felt boring and unexciting being stuck in one place all day. Yeah, for the meantime, I decided to head back to my hometown for a few days as I missed my parents who were no more. For the next week went all in for packing and getting ready even with househelp, it took like an eternity for the 4 of us. As I sat down in the bus waiting for me down the road setated myself comfortably and headed in. pur hometown was situated in the somewhat countryside. While heading back, I saw those old trees, crops ready to be harvested, flowers being blown by the air as if moving with great happiness on the arrival of spring, the sunshine made it a more dreamy place kinda paradise, you would be mesmerized by the beauty of nature. I had missed all these views, literally forgotten them with the daily workload of job, then setting up business, raising kids, etc, etc, and spending time for myself was just long down forgotten in that list. I looked as I could see the hometown, those old buildings bringing nostalgic feelings back into my mind. Soon we arrived at the stop, picked up my suitcases, and got off. It felt that the earth itself was exhaling beneath me. Felt a sigh of relief which was so intense, almost painful. I walked down seeing how little the things have changed, only few stores have opened up and some old houses have been renovated, yet the nature remained untouched by any of the little changes. The streets smelled of rain as I walked down the aisle to my paternal house on the corner. I stepped up, opned up the lock, the door creaked, but I slowly walked in. After a short break, I cleaned my childhood home, starting with my parents' room. Most of it was empty as the clothes and stuff have been donated to charity and church. After cleaning the first floor. I went down to grandmas room . Everything was tidy yet a feeling of unsetteling remained, I decided to start with the old wardrobe, which looked quite ancient. I decided to throw it anyway, so I took out all the belongings from it. A spark emerged in my eyes as I opened the door. I couldn’t describe the moment. There was packed up a white gown, my grandma's wedding dress, which she adorned and valued over her life, even after 60 years it was still neat and in well-preserved condition. I opened it up as I became more and more curious, that sec something fell on the ground. I decided to pick up what looked like some run-down pieces of PPE to me. It was a letter for Mia (me). I was kinda taken aback and with my hands trembeling decided to open it  … it read

My love,"

"They say time erases, but what do they know of the agony of a heart that refuses to forget?

I write to you from a place where the walls whisper your name, where every rustling curtain reminds me of the way you once touched my cheek. I have lived a hundred lifetimes in the spaces between our last words, but even in silence, you have never left me."

"Do you remember that evening? The one where the sky bled into the ocean, and we swore we would run away? I held onto that promise until my fingers bled, but fate is a cruel mistress, and I, a coward wrapped in duty. I was meant to be someone's wife, someone's daughter-in-law-never yours, never mine."

"If there is a life beyond this one, if the stars have mercy, let them weave us into the same story once more. For now, I remain here, wearing a smile that is not mine, loving a man I do not know, and waiting for a love that will never come home."

Yours in every lifetime

E

This letter made me break down in tears …. I could feel her presence with me as I had read the letter all along. For the rest few days went fine but 15 days passed soon and it was time to go back . In the meantime, I had found the bottle of perfume my granny used to  make herself. I took one last glance heading back into my busy and stresfull city life again …