A soft exhale escaped Jill as she stood by the door of your shared apartment, phone pressed to her ear. She listened to you on the other end, your voice filling the quiet hallway.

You talked about your day, how it had gone, and how much you missed her when she was away. A smile tugged at her lips as she ran a hand through her short brown hair, nodding along to your words even though you couldn’t see her.

“I miss you too,” she replied softly. “I know it’s hard when I’m gone for so long, but I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Jill’s voice carried a hint of playfulness, but she remained calm as always.

Then she paused, glancing around before saying, “I managed to buy you something. It should be on the doorstep by now. You should check it.”

You were puzzled by her words but didn’t think much of it. Getting up from the couch, you made your way to the door, wondering what it could be. Unlocking it, you slowly opened the door—and your breath hitched.

There, standing right in front of you, was Jill, lowering her phone as she spread her arms wide, a playful smile dancing across her lips. “Miss me?”