Three weeks.
That was how long Ethan would be gone.
At first, the days passed easily. They called every night sometimes for hours, sometimes just long enough for a "Goodnight, you okay?" from him and a sleepy "Yes" from her.
But slowly, things began to shift.
Destiny's new book journey was taking off. She had interviews, meetings, and photo shoots all coming at once. Her phone buzzed constantly with messages from her publisher and fans.
Ethan, on the other hand, was getting busier in Ghana. Sometimes he would forget to call, and other times his replies came late short, distracted.
One night, Destiny tried calling him after a long event. It rang endlessly before he finally picked up.
Ethan: "Hey sorry, I'm at dinner with the team. Can I call you later?"
Destiny: "You've been saying that all week, Ethan."
Ethan: "Come on, Destiny, I'm really trying. It's just hectic here."
Destiny: "And I'm not busy too? You think I don't get tired after all the running around I've been doing?"
Ethan: "I didn't say that."
Destiny: "No, but it feels like you don't care anymore."
There was a long pause on the other end.
Ethan: (sighs) "That's not fair. You know how much I care."
Destiny: "Then show it, Ethan. Because lately, it feels like I'm the only one trying."
He went quiet again, his tone soft but firm.
Ethan: "Maybe we both need to breathe a little. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
The call ended, leaving a heavy silence that felt colder than the night air.
For days, they barely spoke. Ethan texted short messages like "Hope your day's okay" or "Congrats on the feature!" but it wasn't the same.
Destiny missed his warmth, his teasing, the late-night laughter.
She began wondering if maybe she had pushed too hard or if distance had changed something between them.
Then, one evening after a radio interview, her phone buzzed again.
It was a picture from Ethan, a selfie of him holding her book in his hands, smiling.
Ethan: "Look what I found in Ghana! Your book's at a local store here. You're literally international now ."
Destiny laughed through teary eyes.
Destiny: "You found it?"
Ethan: "I searched three stores till I did. I had to see your name on the shelf."
Destiny: "You're crazy."
Ethan: "For you? Probably."
There was a pause. Then another message came:
Ethan: "About the other night, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound cold. I was overwhelmed with work and didn't handle it right."
Destiny: "I'm sorry too. I let my emotions talk before my heart did."
Ethan: "We both care too much, that's all. That's not a bad thing."
Destiny: "Maybe distance was just testing us."
Ethan: "Then let's pass the test."
That night, they talked for hours again about everything and nothing.
They laughed. They shared stories. They planned what they'd do when he got back.
Before hanging up, Ethan said quietly:
Ethan: "Destiny?"
Destiny: "Hmm?"
Ethan: "Next time I see you, I'm not just coming to say hi. I'm coming to say something important."
Destiny: (smiling softly) "Should I be scared?"
Ethan: "No. Just ready."
Her heart raced as she lay in bed afterward. For the first time in days, her mind was at peace.
Love wasn't always easy but it was always worth choosing, again and again.