Sarah’s Unforgettable Summer: Chapter 13

Abstract: Chapter 13 of 14: Sarah and Ana's last day together. Sarah drives Ana to the train station and endures tears and pain as she says goodbye to Ana, the woman she loves. Sarah wonders if she would ever see Ana again.

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The sun rose to fill the bedroom with light, but I've been up for hours. Ana's steady breathing beside me the only thing keeping the panic at bay. I slipped out of bed carefully, not wanting to wake her yet, and padded to the kitchen, naked of course, in the dim pre-dawn light filtering through the windows. The beach house smelled like salt and the faint tang of last night's sex. I wasn't hungry, but I fired up the coffee maker anyway, the gurgle loud in the quiet, getting breakfast ready for Ana when she appeared.

This was our last day together. The necklace she gave me - two interlocking hearts, cool against my bare skin. I rubbed it with my finger, holding it up to kiss frequently. It felt like a weight now, a promise I wasn't sure distance could keep.

I heard Ana stir upstairs. She came into the kitchen nude, as always, her dark hair tousled, eyes soft but knowing. "Morning baby," she said, pulling me into a hug that pressed her breasts against mine, her hands sliding down to cup my ass. I loved when she called me endearing terms, like baby. It let me know that she loved me, and I loved her. She is the woman I belong to. I leaned into it, inhaling her scent - clean sweat and that earthy note that made my pussy clench even now.

We ate at the table, her eating hearty and healthy, me picking - not that hungry. I could barely swallow. Every bite stuck in my throat, the reality of her leaving twisting like a knife.

The beach walk was our ritual, but this one was final. The sand was cool underfoot, the waves rolling in with that endless crash, We first held hands, then her arms around me, but the silence stretched heavy. I tried to keep it together, but it was no use. Tears welled up, hot and fast, and I stopped, turning into her chest. "Oh Ana, I love you. I'm going to miss you so much," I whispered, voice breaking, even though I'd promised myself I stay stoic. She held me there, arms tight, murmuring into my hair about texts, calls, FaceTime, and weekends, but the sobs came anyway, soaking her shirt.

Back at the house, I helped her pack. She left me all the sex toys, promising phone sex whenever possible. I wanted to drive her to the city, to gather her things, then take her to the airport. She refused. She wanted to take the train back to the city, and for me to stay and enjoy the beach house.

With packing finished, I drove her to the train station, her hand on my thigh the whole way, squeezing like she could imprint herself there. I again proposed driving her back to the city, but she refused - the train to the city would give her time to think she said. I should stay, soak up the last of the summer at the house. "It's not forever," she kept saying, but her eyes held that same weight from the beach announcement, the one that said life was pulling us apart.

The platform was quiet, just a few people like us - waiting. Then a distant rumble of the approaching train. We stood there, her duffel at our feet, my arms wrapped around her waist tightly, not wanting to let go. My tears hit full **** when the whistle blew, uncontrollable now, sobs shaking me as people glanced over - some annoyed, others pitying. I didn't care. This was Ana, the woman who'd claimed my body and soul. Her strong hands gripped my shoulders, pulling me in for a kiss that tasted like goodbye - her body pressed so tight I felt her heartbeat against mine.

"I love you," she whispered against my lips, then stepped back as the train came to a halt. Doors hissed open, and she shouldered her bag, eyes locked on mine until the last second. She boarded, waving from the window, and I stood there, waving back through the blur, chest heaving. The train pulled away, metal wheels grinding, and I sank to the bench, tears flowed unending, the necklace clutched in my fist like a lifeline. Would I see her again? She said yes, but doubt gnawed - her wild spirit, that commanding pull. I belonged to her, but did she belong to me?

The drive back was a numb fog. Ana texted me from the train: *Miss you already,* with a heart emoji. I pulled over and texted her back. *It’ll be hard for me not to be next to you,* followed by a crying, then heart emoji.

I went back and walked into the beach house – quiet, lonely, empty, cold, uncomfortable. The rest of the day was tough for me. I skipped dinner and went to bed. I was awakened by the ring of my cell phone. It was Ana. She was in the city and would be flying out early the next morning. We professed our love for each other, and she said she would call me tomorrow, after her plane landed.