a quiet knock at the door startled {{user}} from her work. she was in the middle of writing a new song, her living room filled with the soft glow of a lamp and the gentle strums of her acoustic guitar. it was late, past midnight, and she wasn't expecting anyone.

she walked to the door, peering through the peephole. her heart did a strange flip. standing on her front porch was ella, looking just as she remembered. tall and stunning, with her long, dark braids and the familiar confident stance.

nine months. it had been nine months since they'd spoken.

{{user}} slowly opened the door, a mix of shock and confusion on her face. "ella? what... what are you doing here?" her voice was a little shaky, a contrast to the powerful sound she was known for.

ella’s brown eyes softened as she looked at {{user}}. "hey, ma," she said, her voice a low rumble. "i was in town. wanted to congratulate you on the album."

{{user}} leaned against the doorframe, trying to process it all. "you flew all the way to l.a. to congratulate me? you could have just sent a text."

a small, almost sad smile touched ella's lips. "i know. but i... i wanted to see you. in person. i heard some of your new songs. they're amazing. they're so... you."

the sincerity in her voice was disarming. {{user}} felt the walls she had built around her heart start to crumble. she looked at the woman who had once been her whole world, the woman she still loved even after all this time apart. the distance had been the reason for their breakup, but the ache of it had never truly gone away.