Chapter Three: Finding You Again
Izzy
Carl's words lingered in the air, heavy and unresolved, but something shifted between us, in that moment, it was like a crack formed in the shell that had surrounded us for months maybe even longer, The tension that had been building, unspoken, and unacknowledged, suddenly seems to have a voice, But before I could respond, Carl's voice was low and tensed, he called me back.
" Izzy, are you still there?"
I swallowed hard, my heart racing, There's is a part of me that was afraid to push this moment forward, and afraid of what the truth or the turnout this might bring, but there is another part, the part I have been ignoring, the part that wants to lean in, to trust him, to bridge the distance between us The loneliness I have been hiding behind starts to feel more suffocating now, the desire for connection surging like an undeniable force.
"I'm here," I replied ,my voice barely above a whisper. "Carl… what are you trying to say?"
I hear him exhale, as though he's been holding his breath, and then a long silence follows. It's almost as if we're both searching for the right words, but neither of us knows exactly how to make this moment right. I could feel the weight of his hesitation through the phone, but it didn't scare me as much as it should. Instead, I felt something else, something like hope.
"Izzy," he said again, his voice more tender now. "I know we've been distant lately, but I don't want you to think I'm not here. I… I just need you to know how much you mean to me."
I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me. For the first time in weeks, the distance between us doesn't feel insurmountable. I heard the honesty in his voice, and for the first time in so long, I felt seen.
"I know, Carl," I replied, my heart opening a little more with every word. "I've felt it, too."
There was a brief pause, and I can hear him moving as if he's stepping closer. My breath catches in my throat as the air between us changes again. There's something else there now, something unspoken, but no longer unacknowledged.
"Izzy," he murmurs, and then I heard the faint sound of the door clicking shut, signaling his return home. The rustle of his jacket was discarded. Footsteps. The softest breath.
My chest tightens in anticipation.
"I need to see you," Carl continues, his voice low and urgent. "Now."
I didn't say anything, didn't question it. I just felt it in my bones, his need, my need. Without another word, I hung up the phone, my hands shaking slightly as I set it down on the counter. My heart thuds louder with each passing second as I made my way toward the door, toward him.
When I opened it, Carl was standing there, his face slightly flushed from the cold, his eyes dark with unspoken longing. He was looking at me like he hasn't seen me in years, as though he has been waiting for this moment.
"Izzy," he breathes, stepping inside before I even had a chance to say anything.
The moment the door clicks shut behind him, he's already pulling me close, his lips capturing mine in a slow kiss, deliberate like he's savoring every second of it. It's like he's telling me everything he can't say with words, and I let him—let him drown me in the warmth of his touch, the way his hands cradle my face like I might shatter if he doesn't hold me just right.
I felt his body press against mine, the heat of him, the urgency. There was a tension between us that's been building for far too long, but now it's different; it's not just about desire; it's about connection, about remembering what it feels like to belong to someone and to be wanted in return.
His hands slipped down my back, pulling me closer, and I melted into him, feeling the strength of his body, the way his chest rose and fell beneath my fingertips. It's as though the world has narrowed down to just the two of us, and I'm afraid to break this moment, afraid that if I pull away, I'll lose something precious.
Carl pulls back just slightly, his forehead resting against mine, breath mingling with mine. "I've missed you, Izzy. I've missed this. Us."
I didn't respond at first, just let the words sink in, feeling the weight of them settle deep in my chest. I've missed him too. More than I've been willing to admit.
"I've missed you too," I whisper, the confession slipping out before I can stop it.
Without another word, Carl leans down, capturing my lips in another kiss, but this time, it's deeper and more intimate. His hands move to the hem of my shirt, lifting it slowly, as though giving me time to pull away if I need to. But I don't. I lift my arms, allowing him to undress me, feeling the cool air against my skin, but only for a moment before he's back, his hands warm against me, his body pressing into mine.
When he lifts me, I wrap my legs around his waist instinctively, needing to be as close to him as possible. My heart races in time with the rhythm of our movements as he carries me to the bedroom, not breaking the kiss even once, as though this moment is the only thing that matters.
He lays me down gently on the bed, his hands tracing the curves of my body with such tenderness that I almost forget how much we've drifted apart. It's like he's rediscovering me, and I'm doing the same with him. His lips move over my skin, soft and reverent, and for the first time in a long while, I let myself feel all the emotions I've been burying, love, desire, longing, and something deeper.
When we finally came together, it was not rushed. It was slow, deliberate. Each touch, each movement is an unspoken promise, a reaffirmation that we're still here, still connected in the most intimate way possible. And in this moment, there's no space between us—no more distance, no more secrets. Just Carl and I , and the quiet, intense love we've nearly lost, but have now found again.
And I know, with absolute certainty, that this is the beginning of something new. Something that might heal the fractures,
something that might put us back together again.