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IT WAS A BITTERSWEET, SLOW-MOVING DAY. After all, it was the day that Sapnap was leaving. His visit had been perfect, and both him and Veda had been sure to wring every last drop of joy out of it. But that didn't make it any easier of a departure.
His suitcase was fully packed, and besides that, all he had to do was put it in his car. They sat at her kitchen counter, eating freshly made sandwiches in a near silence.
He sighed. A dense, opaque sigh.
"Still can't believe I surprised you that well," he uttered, chuckling to himself. Veda turned and gave him an ounce of a smile.
"Still can't believe you're leaving," she replied. Her mind was struggling to stay optimistic.
"Hey, hey, hey, don't think like that. I'm gonna come see you again. Or you can come see me. Or we can go on a trip. There's lots of possibilities."
Veda turned on the high chair. She grinned at him, but there was a looming doleful look hidden behind the expression. "I know. It just sucks it's not gonna be for another few weeks at least."
Sapnap reached out, pulling her into him. He gave the crown of her head a comforting, tender kiss. She released, knowing that his touch would only remind her of how it was running out.
Seeing both their plates empty, she hopped off the chair and brought them to the sink. Just then, Veda's father approached. He was about to leave for work.
"You'll be long gone by the time I get back, so I just wanted to say it was great having you around. I like seeing Veda happy, and you sure as hell are a good upgrade," the older man said, holding out his hand to Sapnap.
"Thank you so much for having me, really. It was thanks to you guys this whole thing was possible. I'll miss it."
"We'll miss you too, Nick. Have a safe ride home."
"I'll make sure to, thank you," Sapnap muttered. Their firm handshake ended, and just like that, her father was gone without a trace.
Veda turned from the interaction, biting her lip. An idiotic thought dawned on her—am I seriously getting emotional? A lump swallowed down her throat, and she rubbed her nose.
"I'll be in the restroom," she uttered, flashing her face to Sapnap then shuffling off.
"Ok. I'm gonna go grab my bag. My mom told me to get on the road by three and it's 2:46." He didn't pick up on her feelings, but it was odd how fast she walked off.
