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TWO
~ Zane ~
I couldn’t get her off my mind.
Seeing her yesterday had all our childhood memories flooding back. We had been best friends since high school and inseparable until we parted ways for college. Although we stayed in touch, it wasn’t the same.
Especially after she met Seth.
He wasn’t too pleased to know her closest friend was a guy, let alone me. It had only taken his invitation to my own wedding for him to accept there was nothing between Elina and me. And, even after that, he refused to let us meet alone. It had been a strain on our relationship, and I could admit we had started to drift apart over the years. It had been painful after my divorce not to have Elina there to support me in person. My son, Jian, and I had struggled through and eventually moved on with our lives. Now Elina was in the same situation, and I wanted to be there for her.
I finished packing the basket of food I had prepared for her and placed a plant on top. It was the best I could do at such short notice for a home-warming gift, but I was sure she would appreciate it nevertheless. Grabbing it from the side, I gave myself a once over in the mirror before heading out the front door. It was a bizarre feeling walking over there. I was surprised to find myself so happy, excited even. I knocked on the door and took a step back.
“Zane?” she grinned, “Come in.”
She looked as radiant as ever. Age had only added to her good looks over the years. I bet if the guys from school could see her now, they’d soon realize they had made a mistake not asking her out. Although she now had lines crossing her features, they were all from years of smiling and laughter. She had gone from the timid girl at school to the hot bombshell in front of me, and at forty-five years of age, she was a stunner.
“I thought I’d bring over a little something as a welcome back to the neighborhood. You were sorely missed.”
Her face lit up as I showed her the basket. It was heavy, so I thought it better to carry it into the kitchen for her as she led the way. I looked about as we walked through the house. Elina had certainly been busy with unpacking. Nearly all the moving boxes were unpacked and folded flat, and the place was looking cozier than yesterday. Despite the new room additions, it still had the same vibe from when I was younger. It smelled the same and welcomed me in. Something I never quite felt with my own family growing up. She must have recognized the look on my face as she pulled the plant out of the basket and placed it on the windowsill.
“Brings back memories, huh? Me too. It feels weird to be staying here without my parents. It’s like I’m a child again. Still getting used to it.”
Where the sunlight was filtering through the window, it highlighted her features gold. When she turned to face me, her brown eyes sparkled with the bronze flecks I hadn’t seen since our younger years. She was looking more like herself than she had done since the start of her marriage. I didn’t want to say it out loud, but divorce suited her.
“It’s great being back here,” I ran my hand along the nearest wall, “All the times we watched your mom whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookies in here. I can even imagine the smell now. It was a big part of my childhood.”
Her laughter was like music to my ears as it tinkled through the air. She swept her shoulder-length hair from her face as she walked over to the cupboard and pulled out two glasses. Gone were the days we would sip lemonade and hot chocolate; we had now moved on to the days where we drank instead. A new chapter in our lives, it would seem.
“I was going to have some wine, but I feel this calls for something stronger. The two of us back together again in this old house. It needs to be celebrated.”
I watched as she poured us two hefty glasses of vodka and lime-lemon soda before handing one off to me. Taking a sip, I winced. It was strong. She clearly wanted to have a proper celebration.
She grinned, “Come on then. Let’s go sit out on the porch again, for old times sakes. We have a lot to catch up on.”
