AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cora
November 21 - Seven months later
“Come on,Cora. You do not want to be late today,” Shelly yells from the living room.
“I’ll be out in a second,” I yell back at her. I scan the room, checking every surface to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. Satisfied, I grab the two bags on my bed then turn and walk out of the bedroom.
When I enter the living room, I glimpse my best friend who is currently trying to wear a new pattern into the wood floor with her heels. She mumbles under her breath, but stops when she spots me.
“Did you feed Luna?” I ask.
“Yes. Everything is done. You ready to go?”
I glance down and inventory the bags in my hands. “Ready,” I answer. “Erin picked up the other totes and food already?”
“Yeah, she left a few minutes ago.”
I nod. Shelly and I grab our purses, I give Luna one last pat and kiss, then we head out the door. We deposit the bags in her back seat and jump in the front. Seconds later, we are on the road and driving toward Sand Key park.
I stare out the window, take in the blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and sparkling sunlight, then thank the weather gods for keeping everything perfect today.
The weather has turned cool, but it isn’t cold yet. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and this year I am thankful more than any year prior. For destiny and Gavin and the best circle of friends a person could ask for. Too often, we take life and the people we see daily for granted. After losing Gavin and getting him back, I take nothing for granted. Each day, I thank my lucky stars life brought us back together.
Over the last seven months, the emotional scale of our friends was all over the place. One day they loved us. The next, they freaked out. Shelly questioned me for hours once I flaunted my engagement ring. She had seen all my tears. All of them. She experienced my pain. Both times. And she wanted to be sure I wasn’t acting on a whim. That I hadn’t said yes because I felt pressured by the question or situation.
Everyone thought the engagement and us getting married was too soon. Irrational and foolish. That we should wait. Give it a year or so. Especially after rekindling what we once lost. Spend more time learning the adult versions of each other.
“You can’t rely on your feelings from the past, Cora.”Shelly had said. And I don’t.
What I felt for Gavin in our early teen years is nothing compared to what I feel for him now. Circumstances ripped us apart. Tested our strength and ability to love. Time had been our enemy, but also our saving grace. Without time apart, Gavin and I may have become complacent in our relationship. Grown apart. But time hardened us. Made us see the world and life and love in a different light.
When we each hit a point in our lives of numbness, of not caring about anything aside from daily monotony, fate brought us back together. Showed us how life could be if we gave us another chance. The short road was rocky, but our hearts knew from day one.
Hints of skepticism floated in the air from our friends, but every time they saw us attached at the hip with rosy eyes, their doubts were squandered.
Now when I look at my friends, all I see was happiness. For me. For Gavin. And for what we have together.
In no time, we drive into the park and weave around the outskirts. Shelly drives to the designated location, not far from the beach parking, and parks the car.
Soon, we have all the bags out of the car and in the makeshift dressing room. Shelly attacks me with makeup brushes as soon as my butt hits the chair. I close my eyes and let her do her magic while I go to my happy place—Gavin. As Shelly swipes a soft-bristled brush over my cheek, Erin walks into the tent.
“Hey, ladies. How’s it going in here?”
Erin is dressed in a knee-length bloodred lacy dress with a nude underlay. Her curly red locks are pinned up in a loose chignon while a few long strands frame her face. Her makeup is subtle and accentuates her freckled skin. Shelly has her hair pinned in the same fashion. And soon, Shelly will don the same dress when she finishes my makeup. Seeing my best friends like this is surreal. For the longest time, I never thought a day like today would be in my future.
“We are on schedule. How’s everything else?” Shelly asks Erin.
Erin gives two thumbs up. “All according to plan.” Before I can ask what according to plan entails, Erin sneaks out of the tent and leaves.
Shelly continues the task at hand. I follow her hands with my eyes and wish there was a mirror nearby for me to catch a glimpse. Considering I barely wear makeup in the first place, it seems as if she put every product from Ulta on my face. As if she reads my mind, she meets my gaze and smiles.
“You don’t need to worry about anything. Today will be perfect. Take a deep breath and let everything happen how it’s meant to.”
I nod, close my eyes again, and let her work her magic.
One breath in. One breath out.
Gavin
