Where We Begin - Part II | The Lake Between Worlds | Englot | FanFic | G!P

Chapter 5: Heart Murmurs 🚨

The late afternoon sun stretched across the lake, gold filtering through the half-open blinds, the house humming with the soft rhythm of ordinary life.

Charlotte was at the dining table, laptop open, her face lit by the pale glow of a dozen browser tabs, all of them tracing the same digital trail of Watin Opas. She looked tired, focused, that familiar crease between her brows deepening each time she scrolled.

From outside, the sound of laughter carried through the open doors.

Engfa leaned against the frame, smiling faintly as she watched Charlie chase Koko around the garden. The little boy's giggles rose over the splash of the sprinklers, his small hands clutching a plastic ball that the golden retriever seemed determined to steal.

It was the kind of sight that made time feel kind, a reminder that, for once, they were allowed to exist in peace.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, breaking the spell.

She answered quickly when she saw the name.

"Mae Yaa."

Her grandmother's voice came soft but clear, threaded with that eternal calm that made everything sound like a prayer.

"Engfa, dear. Just confirming, I'll be looking after Charlie tomorrow night, yes?"

"Yes, Mae Yaa," Engfa said, smiling instinctively. "Pa will drive you here after lunch."

"Good, good. I'll bring the tea biscuits he likes. And maybe some of my mangoes. You two have your Friday, but don't stay out too late, hmm?"

Engfa chuckled. "We'll behave."

There was a pause, then her grandmother's voice softened further.

"How are you feeling, my child? Truly?"

Engfa hesitated. "I'm... fine."

"You sound tired."

"It's work," she said lightly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Just long hours."

"Be kind to your body," her grandmother murmured.

"And drink less, dear. I know you young people like your wine, but it clouds the heart."

Engfa smiled, though her chest tightened faintly at the words. "I'll behave, I promise."

"Good girl," Than Yaa Lamai said, her tone full of affection. "I'll see you tomorrow. Give my love to Charlotte and my great-grandson."

"I will. Love you, Mae Yaa."

"Love you too, little moon."

The call ended, leaving a soft hush in its wake.

Outside, Charlie was sprawled on the grass now, Koko licking his face while he shrieked with laughter.

Inside, the faint clicking of Charlotte's keyboard echoed through the living room. For a moment, everything felt still, perfect, suspended.

Then, a sharp pressure bloomed beneath Engfa's sternum. It was sudden, quick, like a hand pressing hard from the inside. She winced, pressing her palm flat against her chest.

The pain lingered just long enough to steal her breath, then faded as fast as it came. "Maybe too much coffee," she muttered, shaking her head. "Or maybe... I need a drink to chase this indigestion off my chest."

She laughed under her breath, dismissing it as she turned toward the fridge, unaware that from the window, Charlotte had looked up just in time to see her flinch.

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