Kingdom Come Undone

My Best Colors - Part 1

My eight AM flight came much too soon for the night we had been blessed with. I groaned and whined the entire way to the airport despite Alison's hand remaining in mine. Despite her constant reassurance that I'd see her again in five short sleeps. I knew that I could make it, that we had made it longer without one another's embrace. I even knew that it would probably be good for us considering we had spent so much of the past month together after her grandmother's passing and Jacob's surgery plans and everything in between. But feeling her thumb linger in my palm as we drove, the way her fingers clung to me as we said goodbye, the small tear that left her right eye as she pulled away from me on the sidewalk, all of it reminded me of what Hanna said in our conversation the night before.

"Oh no, sweetie." She reached across the table to hold my hand, "You didn't save her from anyone in particular, no. Emily, you saved Alison from herself."

"From herself?" I looked back over Hanna's shoulder in concernment, "When I met her, she seemed pretty put together."

Hanna laughed, "Oh, I'm sure. Alison always seems put together. But she almost always approaches people apprehensively. It's a defense mechanism that takes true effort on her part to take down. Maybe you noticed it? Like a moment early on in your relationship where she stopped, I don't know, thinking? A moment where she stopped putting forethought in every word she said?"

I couldn't pin point it. There wasn't a precise phrase or a poignant period, but some time during our museum date, I knew our relationship was different than when we started. Maybe it was her finally discussing Jacob. Maybe it was endless hours together. Maybe it was simply us admitting we liked each other in person. But Hanna was right. Waking up that next morning, we were different people than even 12 hours before. Alison was a different woman.

I nodded, "She relaxed after our second date. Once I told her I wasn't going anywhere after learning about Jacob."

"She really is terrible at being alone. And don't quote me on this part, but I think it makes her revert to her childhood. Loneliness, that is. Have you been to her family's home yet?"

"For Christmas photos."

I replied quietly to give Hanna the opportunity to answer in any way she saw fit. I was intently focused on the words Hanna was saying as though she was providing insight no one else could. It hit me immediately why Alison said meeting Hanna was more important. Why Alison called Hanna her best friend. She spoke with an openness Aria didn't. Not disparagingly. You could tell that Hanna wasn't giving too much away, but Alison trusted her with this moment. For her to tell me just enough to understand her more.

"Right... well, you saw how big that house is then? How many days and nights Alison probably went without seeing much of anyone. Her mom wasn't terrible when we were younger, but even my mom showed up for me at school when I needed her to. And I was raised by a single mother. I don't know." She sighed. "She's just not good alone, Emily. And it makes me happy to know that she doesn't have to be anymore. So, thank you for that, I guess."

"You're welcome, I guess." We laughed as Hanna reconnected her hand in the crook of my arm while we walked back toward the group.

Alison's hand slipped into the side of my suit jacket as I approached her. She tucked her thumb into the waistband of my pants as her arm slid around to wrap around my hips. I kissed her forehead delicately, loving the feeling of her next to me again.

"How did it go?" She sounded happy. "Did you pass?"

I smirked, "I'm not entirely sure that there was something for me to fail. But no, the conversation went well. Hanna reminds me a lot of you, actually." That comment made Alison smile. "You both are very direct but hold some cards close. You only say exactly what you want someone else to know."