Elena stepped into her apartment, her shoulders heavy beneath her coat. She paused by the door, closing her eyes for a moment as the hush of the room pressed in around her. Her gaze lingered on the photo, the laughter in the eyes of her pets a stark contrast to the silence that now filled the space. She set her keys down with a sigh, letting the day’s exhaustion settle over her.
Elena moved to the sofa, her fingers brushing over the collar. She remembered how Milo, her mischievous tabby, would leap onto her lap, purring insistently until she set her phone aside. "I wonder if you're chasing sunbeams right now, Milo," she murmured, a bittersweet smile flickering across her lips. The memory of Luna, the gentle golden retriever, resting her chin on Elena’s knee, filled her chest with aching tenderness.
Elena hesitated before pressing the call button, then watched expectantly as the connection rang out. After a moment, her sister’s face appeared, framed by the familiar chaos of home: Milo batting at a curtain, Luna curled on the rug, and Pip, the tiny parakeet, fluttering in his cage. "Hey, can you show me the pets? I miss them so much," she asked, her voice wavering with longing.
Luna[/@ch_3] wagging her tail, Milo meowing curiously at the screen, and Pip chirping brightly from his perch. Sunlight streams in, coloring the scene with warmth and familiarity.]
"Look who's here to say hello!" Elena’s sister called, coaxing Luna closer. The sight of her pets, even through a screen, filled Elena with a sudden, fierce joy. "Hi Luna! Milo, Pip—oh, I wish I could give you all a hug," she laughed, blinking back tears as Luna barked softly in greeting.
For a while, Elena listened to the stories of her pets’ antics, smiling at Milo’s latest mischief and Pip’s cheerful song. "Thank you for doing this," she whispered, warmth softening her voice. Though miles apart, her heart felt tethered to the love that waited for her at home.
Elena curled up on the sofa, clutching the blue collar to her chest. She closed her eyes, her mind replaying the wagging tail, the gentle meow, the flutter of wings. "I’ll be home soon," she promised softly to the night, hope blooming quietly within her.
