The Dust-Covered Empty Seat

I was holding a pack of ibuprofen as I stood before Eleanor Reid’s apartment.

The door was not shut tightly, and I could hear Eleanor’s stuffy voice as she chuckled.

“You rushed over this late at night. Isn’t your project in North City important? Are you really going to stay in South City?”

Theo Anderson answered without any hesitation.

“It’s not that important. You’re alone and have a high fever. I’m worried about you, so I’ve submitted my request to be transferred to South City. We no longer have to be apart in the future.”

Eleanor said happily, “If Lydia found out about this, she would be over the moon.”

“I only care about your happiness.”

My fingernails dug into the plastic bag handles, and it left a white mark against my palm.

Three years ago, I had begged him to stay with me when I received the news that my mother was in a critical condition. He had only grabbed his suitcase and left without looking back.

“Lydia, you know how important this promotion is to me. I’m doing this for our future. Please, be more understanding.”

The night he left, my mother passed away. I was left sobbing alone.

Throughout the three years that followed, I asked to close the gap numerous times.

I was even willing to give up my career in South City just so I could be with him.

However, he kept rejecting the offer.

“The living expenses in North City are too high. If you come over, you’ll only affect the growth of my wealth. Be more mature, please. Don’t always threaten my career with our relationship.”

The so-called future and career were nothing compared to Eleanor’s flu.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Theo was holding a bowl of chicken noodle soup as he sat on the edge of her bed.

When he saw me, he immediately frowned.

“Why are you here?”

I placed the plastic bag containing the ibuprofen onto the shelf.

“I’m here to visit Eleanor and her knight in shining armor that flew in from 500 miles away.”

Eleanor immediately shook her head.

“Lydia, don’t blame Theo. I was having a high fever last night, so I just randomly mentioned it to him. I didn’t expect him to really abandon his job and come here. If you mind that, I’ll ask him to leave now.”

Theo’s expression sank. “You’re so ill. Why should I leave?”

He put down the bowl and looked composed.

“Lydia, stop trying to imply something. Eleanor is your best friend. She’s having a high fever. Do you really want me to do nothing and let her burn to death in this house?”

I looked at the thick chicken noodle soup.

It looked golden and delicious.

It was a recipe that I had spent two weeks developing and taught him by pasting post-it notes. Just because he had said that he disliked the chicken noodle soup he had in North City.

Then, he took care of another woman by feeding her the soup that I taught him.

“I also had a high fever two weeks ago. You asked me to get food delivery instead.”

Theo paused.

“Didn’t you pull through? Eleanor is different from you. She’s not as independent as you are. Don’t tell me you’re jealous of your best friend?”

I suddenly felt like a joke when I recalled texting him for help back then. I smiled mockingly.

He let out a sigh of relief as he looked pleased. “You’re smiling. You should let this matter go then.

“I’ve already put in my request to be transferred back to South City, so we will no longer be in a long-distance relationship. Your wish has finally come true.

“Just now, Eleanor said she wanted to try the cake from Sugar Bakery. Please go and buy it for her.”

I turned around and left.

My phone buzzed.

[Ms. Scott, the veil that you like is in stock. When do you want to come over to have a look?”

[It’s fine, you can return it.]

Initially, I thought that a long-distance relationship was just a long wait. That as long as I kept an empty spot next to me, my partner would one day appear.

Instead, I realized that 500 miles was just a plane ride away and that his not returning was because he had changed his final destination.

There was no point for me to keep on waiting.