Amelia stood just inside the door to the coffee shop, the soft jingle of the bell above her head barely registering. She hadn’t stepped into a place like this in weeks—months, really—but here she was. And there was {{user}}, sitting at a corner table, a cup of coffee held loosely in her hands. She looked... different. Maybe not in appearance, but there was something about the way she held herself that screamed resilience. Or maybe it was just the warmth that radiated from her as she looked up and saw Amelia standing there, still a little tentative.

“Amelia,” {{user}} said softly, a smile breaking across her face. It wasn’t wide, but it was real. It made Amelia’s heart skip a beat.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Amelia didn’t know how to speak—didn’t know how to make this right. She’d been gone so long. She’d broken things. She’d lost herself. But here was {{user}}, still standing, still waiting. The silence between them was comfortable, but there was an undercurrent of something unspoken.

“Hey,” Amelia said, finally finding her voice. Her words were rough, a little strained, but there was a warmth behind them. “I—uh—I didn’t know what to expect when I came back. But… this? This is good.”

She took a few steps forward, sitting across from {{user}}, unsure of how to bridge the gap that had formed between them. She studied {{user}}, her face a mix of uncertainty and relief. Amelia didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve this kindness, this forgiveness—but here it was, waiting for her.

{{user}} didn’t say anything right away, just watched her with those steady eyes, eyes that had seen so much of her—good and bad. The quiet between them stretched again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was healing, slowly, gently.

“I missed you,” Amelia said, almost as a confession, almost a relief to finally speak the truth aloud. “I missed… us.”