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Hello, again
“So, you are in love?” Aria’s mom asked her with a small smile on her lips. She had come in to see where she worked and they were now sitting at the booth, drinking coffee and talking.
It had been a few days since Will had reunited them and things were slowly starting to get back to how they used to be. It was still a process, since they haven’t seen each other in four years, their parting words still heavily present between them.
Aria was also still feeling guilty for hurting her, and she knew that her mom felt responsible for what had happened to her, but she was sure that it will pass with time, and that they will be a real family again.
“Yes. I still can't believe it myself.” she whispered, feeling shy all of a sudden as she giggled and took her hand in hers.
“Are you happy?”
Aria looked up at the question, blushing, and nodded.
“Yes, very. Before Will came into my life, I had convinced myself that I didn't deserve to be happy. I thought that no one could ever love me. But then I met him and... I tried to stay away, I tried to get him to realize that he could get someone way better than me, but he disagreed.” Aria said and laughed a little, but her mother just looked sad.
“You are worthy of love, honey. Don't ever think that you are not.”
That made Aria laugh even harder, which made her mother confused, so she elaborated.
“I am sorry, it's just... that's exactly what Will kept saying to me, over and over again, until I believed him. He just, wouldn't give up. So, I did, in the end. And I was so scared because I knew that once I gave in, there will be no going back. He is the closest you can get to a perfect man, and I fell in love fast. The first time I said those words I was terrified because I sort of blurted them out without thinking of what I was saying, but then he said it back, and he hadn't stopped saying it.”
Aria finished her little monologue while looking out through the window, her mind far away in those first memories of them, as her fingers played with the necklace around her neck. She shook her head after a while and looked across the table to see her looking at her mother with a proud look on her face.
?
??I am glad you found each other. Even though I hadn't had much time to get to know him well, I can see how much he loves you. It is written across his face when he looks at you, and when he talks about you his eyes just start to glow. And I will forever be grateful to him for bringing my baby back to me. So, I agree with the ‘as close to perfect’ sentiment.”
She laughed and Aria joined in. After a couple of minutes, she sobered up and her face got serious, once again. “I have something to tell you, honey.”
“Yes?”
Her mother seemed nervous all of a sudden, so Aria straightened in her chair and gave her, what she hoped was an encouraging look.
“I remarried a year ago.”
To say that she was shocked would be an understatement as she looked at her mother. After her dad passed away when Aria was ten, her mother pretty much broke down. The two of them were so much in love that when he died it broke her mother’s heart.
Aria never saw her with another man again and she believed that she never would, so to hear her say that not only had she found someone, but that she married him, shocked her to the core.
“Aria? Are you upset?” Eleanor whispered, and it was enough to shake her out of her stupor.
“No, no. I am sorry. It was just unexpected to hear.” she quickly said and her mom nodded and looked down.
“Mom? Don't worry, I am not upset or anything. I am glad. You have been alone since dad died, and after I left it must have been hard for you. I am happy if you are happy. Are you happy?”
“Yes, very. Benjamin is a very good man. He is a dentist, and that is actually how we met. I came in for a toothache and left with a date.” she said, making them both laugh.
“Well, I can't wait to meet him. And of course, have a long-overdue talk with him.” Aria said, a little smirk playing at the corner of her mouth, as her mother slapped her hand playfully.
They stayed there for a little while longer before hugging and saying goodbye. Her mother's flight was in a couple of hours, so she went back to her hotel to get her things and go to the airport. Aria wanted to go with her but she was assured that it was not necessary.
After parting ways, she started to walk toward Will's apartment, before remembering that the man was out of town until the next day, so she quickly changed direction, deciding to go to her apartment.
Aria couldn't remember the last time she had slept there since she had all but moved in with Will, so she took a chance of going there and getting a couple of things that she needed.
Once she was in the building, Aria thought about going to the landlord to cancel her lease, but seeing as it was eight o'clock in the evening, she changed her mind; it was better to do that in the morning.
When she entered the apartment, she threw the keys into a bowl next to the door and took off her jacket. She stifled a yawn, feeling tired since she had been on her feet since that morning, doing the double shift as a favor for a coworker who wasn't able to make it to work that day.
