Aurora

34

Wearing modern clothes felt different on Aurora.

She was wearing her old denim jeans and a white shirt, just like the ones she was wearing before she disappeared, it felt unusual.

Sighing.

She went and stood in front of the mirror, then grabbing a comb on the dresser she began brushing her hair gently on her shoulder, taking control of it again.

She knew it would take a while before she got used to her body again, or got rid of any remains of Sarah.

She finished brushing her hair and made her way to the open space in the living room, where Mia and some friends were chatting in whispers.

"Maybe, she got dumbed--"

They stopped talking when they noticed Aurora walk in.

Aurora reached to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, pretending she didn't hear them gossiping about her.

"Hi, Aurora." Betty waved in. Betty was an old friend and the only one Aurora recognized amongst Mia's friends, "How are you?" She asked.

"I'm alright." She said with a smile. The room felt quiet after that, each of them glancing and coughing awkwardly.

"The guys and I are heading out," Mia spoke up and they immediately start to leave, there's a racket in the room as they all got ready to hurry out.

"It was nice seeing you again, Aurora," Betty said with a smile.

"You too."

"I guess we would see each other at the wedding." Betty commented.

"Wedding?" Aurora exclaimed.

"Oh, ahem..." Betty flutters, glancing at Mia.

There is another awkward silence and Aurora soon noticed Mia's finger,

"Mia, Are you getting married?"

"We'll wait outside." They left them alone.

Mia turns to face Aurora, saying.

"David and I are getting married next month."

Aurora is shocked at the news, but at the same time ecstatic, "Mia, that's wonderful news... Why didn't you tell me?"

"I left you several emails, Aurora. . You just never cared to reply to them.."

"Mia--"

"What do you want, Aurora? I'm running late." Mia cut in annoyance.

Aurora withdrew herself, she didn't want to upset Mia any further.

"I-I, I want to know what time you get back." She said instead.

"Why?"

"I-I thought we could catch up, it's seems so long since we talked...I feel like I've missed out on so much, I mean you're getting married..."

"Aurora, don't get me wrong, but the last thing I want to do is talk, or at least pretend that I'm not mad at you. You abandoned me, acted like I didn't exist for nearly two years, all for a man you barely knew, So No I don't forgive you and I definitely don't want to catch up." Mia turned around and left, leaving Aurora in tears.

Aurora spent the next couple of days adjusting to her old lifestyle, she realized most of the things she enjoyed doing weren't so appealing anymore, everything felt different and out of place.

Somehow, the store was still intact, mighty dusty, but Aurora didn't mind cleaning it out, it gave her something to do.

She tried to recall the last time she was in the store, and the book she was reading before she disappeared was gone, had Sarah stopped by and taken it? she thought.

Aurora went on tidying the store when she heard the doorbell chime, followed by footsteps but she continued tidying until she heard a voice call out.

"Excuse me?"

She turned around only to freeze abruptly.

Standing idly in her bookstore was Jonathan.

"You're not going to run off again, are you?"

Aurora gulped, backing away slowly.

"How did you find me?!"

"Mia, she told me where to find you." He replied stepping forward, "She doesn't like me very much, it a great deal to get your address."

"How do you know my sister, Jonathan?!" Aurora made sure to stay at a distance in case she gets a chance to run.

"I just do... By the way, my name is Eric, not Jonathan, I don't know who that is."

Aurora paused for a bit, confused.

"Are you not Jonathan?"

"Again I don't know who that is but, I'm assuming I share a resemblance with this Jonathan fella...."

"This is weird... And, very confusing." Aurora muttered to herself.

Aurora couldn't believe her eyes, in front of her was a smitten image of Jonathan, although there was a slight difference in the voice.

Jonathan had a medieval accent, and there's no way he could have learned a non-rhotic accent in such a short time, how is this possible? She thought.

"You're Aurora... I mean Sarah kept mentioning this would happen, she said you would come back to reclaim your body one day."

Aurora went to sit down, everything just felt too much.

"I didn't believe her at first, I thought she was trying to get rid of me. ..Sarah and I didn't have the best relationship at first but, that was all before---" He stops talking abruptly and rectifies his words, "I-I just wish I had believed her."

The way he paused earlier and shuddered only told Aurora that there was more he wasn't saying to her.

"Before what? Finish it."

Eric went quiet choosing his next words very carefully, he didn't want to displease her more than she already was, but he had to tell her.

"Before Emily. ..."

Aurora stared in confusion.

"Sarah and I have a daughter together, her name is Emily, she's one."