Chapter 11 — The Park Reunion
Clouds drift like memories, soft and slow,
Kingdoms of imagination only we would know.
A laugh, a hand, a name whispered true—
The girl I lost… now stands before me.
Johnson waited at the park, eyes on the sky. Clouds drifted lazily, and memories of Clara swept over him. He remembered how, as a child, she would laugh and point at the clouds:
"Look! That one's a kingdom… and if it joins the other, it's like they're fighting!"
A smile crept onto his face. That tiny, silly observation—so unique, so hers—made his heart skip. He almost didn't notice the soft footsteps behind him.
A gentle hand touched his.
Clara: "S.P. Johnson."
Johnson turned sharply, heart pounding.
Johnson: "What… did you just call me?"
She repeated it. That nickname, those memories—they were unmistakable. And then she said something else, softly, but firmly:
Clara: "Remember the clouds? The kingdoms we imagined as kids… it's me, Johnson. It's really me."
His breath caught. The memory was theirs alone. No one else could have said that. Suddenly, the years, the distance, the doubts—all of it—melted away.
Clara (voice trembling): "Please… find a place in your heart and forgive me. I know I hurt you. I caused you pain. I'm sorry."
Johnson stared, speechless. Her eyes held truth, remorse, and the warmth of the girl he had loved long before he even knew it.
Johnson: "I… I've already forgiven you. And I thank God… I was able to save you."
Clara hugged him tightly. Years of separation, of missed moments, disappeared in that instant.
Clara: "I'm really sorry."
Johnson: "You don't have to be. It's… okay."
The connection felt the same as childhood—familiar, magnetic, undeniable. The clouds had spoken, and the heart remembered.
The Bystanders' Take
Nelson: "Peter… do you think she's really his childhood friend?"
Peter: "Yeah… but let's confirm with the girls."
They approached, eager.
Nelson: "Hi, angels."
Liona: "Hi!"
Peter: "Quick question—Clara… Johnson's childhood friend?"
Liona: "Yes."
Peter (bursting): "YES!!!"
Nelson: "Ahhh… now I get it. I owe her an apology."
Liona (smiling): "Good job, finally."
Sonia: "You know everything?"
Peter: "Johnson told us… though he's still confused. God is miraculous. And this world… it's so small."
Sonia: "Exactly."
Two childhood friends reunited. Memories resurfaced. Pains softened. And the spark that had never truly died… roared quietly back to life.