There was always you

15 | a picture worth a thousand words

Adira Bowen

Flattening out my skirt I take a deep breath in the mirror. The car keys were just to the right of the front door if I needed them. I didn't owe anyone anything or any explanations.

My life was a mystery in New York to most. That's what I liked, nobody knew how I'd been after the bomb of my wedding. But I wasn't in shambles or some mess on the floor.

Not someone Kate or her family could walk all over. I was allowed to be reserved this holiday and talk sparingly if allowed. I was here for my mother and that was it.

"Adira?" I heard my mother call from downstairs. It felt almost weird being in my childhood room again. But the blue skies that showed through the sunroof that hung over my bed kept me at ease. My father put it in when I was a child so I could watch the stars to fall asleep.

It was the beginning of my fascination with space and all its continents. I knew I never wanted to go there, but to help people get there. There was so much we didn't know, and most of the time that would horrify people.

It excites me.

"Adira!" My mother's voice yells again and I exit coming down the stairs. She stands at the front door and gestures out the window to see our guests arriving. My stomach tightens when I see her.

But then it drops to the floor as I look whose beside her, "I wanted it to be a surprise" My mother whispers, "I know seeing Kate is the last thing you want today. But Lucy wanted to surprise you."

I don't even think twice as I push open the front door. My arms wrap around her tight as she wobbles from the impact. It had been almost two years since she left with her fiancé who'd been deployed. She'd followed him overseas.

The one good thing to come out of my failed wedding. Lucy wasn't able to make it, "Are you going to let me breathe?" I step back as I let out a soft laugh. We'd been friends since we were children, she was the friend that I'd see a few times a year, but even so, it was like no time had passed. We were in playgroup as babies together, though our moms severed ties years ago.

But she always cared for Lucy and how she was doing. But most times I wasn't allowed to call her and her location was on a need-to-know basis.

"I can't believe you're here! Is Tommy here? How has the Navy been for him?" I fire out questions like there's no tomorrow, she just laughs.

"He's good but couldn't come home, I felt like you deserved a visit. I haven't heard from you in half a year?" I pull her along with me inside as we begin walking towards the door.

"My parents are close following" I hear Kate's voice trail as I go into the living room ignoring her. The smell of dinner fills the house and it makes my stomach gurgle.

I hear her sigh as I get into conversation with Lucy catching up, "Adira?" I glance over to Kate.

"Yep?" I ask.

"Are you really going to ignore me the entire holiday?" I look to the floor humming in thought and then I pause nodding my head.

"Well you were fucking my fiancé for years so... I think I'm going to go with yes?" A ghostly expression presents itself on her face. As if I were to just let it go and act like nothing happened. I turn my attention back to Lucy as I hear Kate leave the room.