Rooted 2
CHAPTER 2 Jonathan noticed it then. Something was different. He had seen her every day for five years. He knew every detail of her presence, every subtle shift in her expression, every movement that made her feel real. This was new. Her outline was not as steady as before. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Like a reflection disturbed by a ripple of water. He took a step closer. “What’s happening to you?” Carlie smiled, but there was something fragile in it now. “I was wondering when you’d notice.” A cold weight settled in his chest. “Notice what?” She hesitated, as if choosing her words carefully. “I’m not supposed to be here anymore, Jon.” The room felt suddenly smaller. “Then don’t say that,” he replied quickly. “You are here.” “For now.” The words landed heavier than anything she had ever said before. Jonathan shook his head. “No. You’ve been here for five years. You’re not just going to disappear.” Carlie stepped closer to him. The distance between them closed, but it still felt impossibly far. “I didn’t stay because I could,” she said softly. “I stayed because you wouldn’t let me go.” “That’s not true.” “It is.” He looked away. Because a part of him knew she was right. “I need you to live again,” Carlie continued. “I am living.” “No,” she said gently. “You’re just staying.” Jonathan let out a quiet, humorless laugh. “And what do you want me to do?” Her eyes met his, steady and certain. “Move forward.” He shook his head immediately. “No.” Carlie did not argue. She only watched him with a kind of patience that made it impossible to look away. “You don’t have to forget me,” she said. “I’m not replacing you.” “I know.” “Then what is this?” Her expression softened, and for a moment, she looked exactly like the woman he lost five years ago. “I need to know you’ll be okay without me.” His voice dropped. “I already wasn’t.” Carlie took a small step forward. Her hand lifted slightly, as if she wanted to reach for him, but it stopped before it could. “That’s why I’m still here.” The words settled between them, quiet and undeniable. Jonathan felt something in his chest tighten. “I don’t need anyone else.” Carlie’s voice softened even more. “That’s the problem.” He did not answer. Because for the first time, the silence between them did not feel safe. It felt like something was ending.