Acquiesce

fifthteen

—

Finley stood in front of the bright yellow house. The kids off to school, she was planning on sending them to a boarding school sooner or later since JULY is back on the road and Liam is off engaged to another woman. She doesn't want to send the kids away, especially since they're still so young to be far from her. But her parents told her she can't be there for her kids while going through "a crisis".

For now, she'll have them by her side. She doesn't want to be left alone.

But back to what she's facing now, she slowly made her way up to the porch to ring the doorbell of the awfully bright coloured house.

The door opened to a beautiful 30-year-old woman, who Finley instantly recognised as Michelle.

"Michelle." Finley whispered with a smile. It's been 6 years. "Finley. Oh god, Finley!" Michelle tackled her best friend, it's been forever.

"You are looking- so wonderful." Finley grinned, tears threatening to fall. "So do you! Come in, Come in. Oh my god we have so much to catch up on."

Finley sighed happily and nervously as she walked inside and examined the interior of the house, simple and pleasing.

"How are you, Finley?" Michelle smiled softly as they sat on the sofa. "How are you?" Finley asked back with a chuckle.

"Everything's been mighty amazing, I've got a nice job as a florist and my girlfriends a CEO of a book publishing company." Michelle explained. "Oh that's lovely." Finley's smile only widened.

"what about yourself?" Michelle asked, "tea?"

Finley nods, "w-well, JULY is back on the road, we have a gig this November." Finley rubs the palm of her hands on her jeans, "My kids, Layla, Winston and Lennon, they're absolutely so clever and cute and all." she giggled bragging about her babies. "How old are they now?" Michelle asked setting a tray of tea infront of them. "They just turned 7." Finley said, pulling out her wallet from her purse and showing her the pictures.

"Thats my Layla." she points to a girl with a fringe and toothless grin. Michelle giggled, "aw she's adorable, looks like you, aint she?"

Finley chuckled, "My Lennon, and Winston." She shows a picture of the two boys. Winston had a bowl cut and a mini jersey shirt matching his father and brother, Lennon had a buzzcut that time. "Oh is that Liam? The boys look almost identical." Michelle shakes her head with a soft laugh. Finley nervously laughed too.

"Is everything alright, Finley?" Michelle noticed. Finley bit on her lip, ashamed that the only reason she ever came back to Michelle was to talk about her and Liam, but Michelle couldn't care less.

"Hey, it's alright, I don't mind." Michelle wraps a comforting arm around Finley's shoulder who sniffed back tears.

"It's Liam isnt it?"

Finley nods and Michelle sighed.

"I don't know what to do, Chelle. The kids, they love him, and he doesn't want them anymore-" Finley tried not to break down as her lips quivered.

Michelle slowly got up, and grabbed a magazine from under the coffee table, showing it to Finley.

Finley felt her whole body go numb as she read the front page. Liam had made his new engagement public?

"I'm so sorry, Finley." Michelle hugged her tightly but in a comforting way. Finley gave in and hugged back. "What do I do, Chelle?" she begged for any advice, any answer to how she could bring things back to normal. Michelle was no fool, no dummy, and she knew Finley more than Finley knows herself.

"Aw Finnie." Michelle sighed, kissing her cheeks softly, "You can talk to me, whenever you need someone. At my lowest you helped me instead of loathing me and leaving me to rot." Michelle smiled softly, "I owe you so much, you're my best mate" she points to a framed picture of Finley and Michelle in their first years of JULY, 1989.

Finley's eyes lit up a bit, melting as she stared at the frame. "Michelle.." Finley chuckled. "Come on, drink some of the tea, and tell me everything. It'll lift up some weight from your chest and then you'll have some freedom to think the right choices." Michelle passed her the warm mug of jasmine tea.

Finley smiled softly at her. "I've missed you."