Heartprints in the Void
⊰ 5 ⊱ Seeds of Doubt

The familiar scent of my old apartment hits me as I unlock the door, a mixture of lavender air freshener and the lingering aroma of Bubbles' favorite treats. A pang of nostalgia washes over me as I step inside, memories of late nights studying,

lazy Sundays with Bubbles, and the quiet solitude I once cherished flooding back.

But that life feels like a distant dream now. So much has changed in such a short time.

"Wow, Elys," Amelia whistles as she follows me in, her eyes scanning the modest space. "This is... cozy."

I can hear the polite restraint in her voice, and I can't help but chuckle. "I don't know, I think it's cute! Very... *bachelor pad chic*."

"Bachelorette," Ava corrects quietly, bringing up the rear. She's been unusually subdued since after she had that talk with Cade yesterday, her usual vibrant energy dimmed.

There's something off about the way she and Cade interacted, and it's been gnawing at me since she arrived. But I know that now isn't the time to dwell on it. We have work to do. "Alright, ladies," I say, clapping my hands together. "Let's get this packing party started. Amelia, Ana, you two can start in the bedroom. Ava and I will tackle the living room."

As the twins disappear into the bedroom, their chatter fading into background noise, I turn to Ava. She's standing by the bookshelf, her fingers tracing the spines of my well-worn textbooks. "Hey," I say softly, moving to stand beside her. "You okay? You've been quiet all morning."

Ava startles slightly, as if pulled from deep thought. "Hm? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just... still kind of processing it all. So much has happened since I last visited, you know?"

I nod, knowing that I'd probably been just as stunned as she is if the situation was reversed. "Tell me about it. Sometimes I feel like I'm living someone else's life."

We fall into a rhythm, methodically sorting through my belongings. Keep, donate, trash. The pile grows steadily, each item a decision, a small piece of my past being categorized and packed away.

I carefully wrap my framed photos of Bubbles in bubble wrap, smiling at the memories they hold, painful as they may be. Books are stacked neatly in boxes, their spines aligned with precision. My collection of workout gear-wrist wraps, knee sleeves, and various supplements-find their way into a large duffel bag.

*For having so little, I have sooo much stuff.*

As we work, my mind wanders to the future stretching out before me. A future I never could have imagined just a few short weeks ago. I picture Cade and Naomi waiting for me at home, and a warmth spreads through my chest. *My family.*

It still feels surreal to think those words.

"So," Ava says, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us. "What's next for you? Career-wise, I mean. Are you still planning on pursuing cybersecurity?"

The question catches me off guard. With everything that's happened, I haven't given much thought to my professional future. "I... I don't know," I admit, the realization hitting me like a ton of bricks. "I guess I've been so focused on the immediate changes, I haven't really thought about the long term."

Ava nods, the look on her face unreadable. "That's understandable. It's a lot to process. But you've got options, right? I mean, with Cade's connections, you could probably write your own ticket in the tech world."

There's an edge to her voice that I can't quite place. Bitterness? Envy? Before I can dwell on it, Amelia's voice rings out from the bedroom.

"What about powerlifting? You were pretty serious about it in college, right?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "That was just a hobby, Amelia. I'm not good enough to make a career out of it."

Amelia appears in the doorway, her hands on her hips. "Are you kidding me? You're incredible! You could totally go pro if you wanted to."

"She's right," Ana chimes in, popping up behind her sister. "You're strong as hell. Why not give it a shot?"

I pause, considering the idea. The thought of pursuing powerlifting professionally had never really occurred to me. It was always just something I did for fun, a way to challenge myself and stay in shape. *But now...*

"I don't know," I say slowly, the wheels in my head turning. "I have a family now, you know?"

"Think about it," Amelia urges. "You've got the talent, and now you've got the support system to really focus on training. It could be amazing."

The thought settles in my mind, a tiny seed of possibility taking root.

*Could I really do it?*

As I mull it over, I catch sight of Ava out of the corner of my eye. She's standing by the window, her posture tense, her gaze distant. The worry that I've been trying to ignore all day resurfaces with vengeance. *What's wrong with her?*

"Hey," I say softly, moving to stand beside her. "Are you sure everything's okay? You've seemed... off since you got here."

Ava turns to me, and for a split second, I see a flash of something in her eyes. Guilt? Fear? But it's gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a forced smile.

"I'm fine, Elys. Really. Just... processing everything, like I said."

I want to push, to demand answers. But with the twins still chattering away in the background, this doesn't feel like the right time or place for a confrontation.

So I nod, swallowing my frustration. "Okay. But you know you can talk to me about anything, right? No matter what."

Ava's smile wavers for a moment, and I swear I see tears welling in her eyes. But then she blinks, and it's gone. "I know. Thanks, Elys."

We return to packing, the air between us heavy with unspoken words. As I wrap my favorite mug in newspaper, my mind drifts back to Cade. The way he looked after his private conversation with Ava. The tension that's been simmering just beneath the surface ever since.

*Something's going on. Something big. And I'm being kept in the dark.*

The realization sends a chill down my spine. After everything we've been through, all the lies and manipulation, I thought we were past this. I thought we had finally reached a place of honesty and trust. *What if they...*

I shake my head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts before they take root. Whatever's going on, I have to trust my best friend wouldn't do anything to hurt me and neither would the man that I married. *I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything.*

But even as I try to convince myself, a small voice in the back of my mind whispers a warning. A reminder of all the times I've been hurt and all the secrets that have been kept from me.

As the day wears on and my apartment is boxed away, that voice grows louder. By the time we're finished, my patience is hanging by a thread.

"Well, I think that's everything," Amelia announces, surveying the neatly packed boxes and bags, organizing it all for the moving company that will be here to carry them out tomorrow. "You sure you don't want to keep the couch, Elys? It's super comfy."

I shake my head, forcing a smile. "Nah, you guys take it. Consider it a thank you for all your help today."

As we say our goodbyes, Ava lingers, her hand on the doorknob. For a moment, I think she's going to say something, to finally come clean about whatever's been weighing on her.

But then she merely smiles, that same forced, brittle smile she's been wearing all day. "Let's go get something to eat, yeah?"

I nod reluctantly, following her out the door.

*If she won't tell me, then maybe Cade will.*