"There you are."
She turned when she heard his voice; she'd she'd lost in her thoughts, for what felt like an eternity and a millisecond all at once. She hated those moments. It made her feel like she was drifting endlessly.
As he sat beside her on the riverbank, he noticed immediately. He took her hand and squeezed it. "You are here," he assured her.
She exhaled a shaky breath, like sudden weight was falling from her shoulders. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I hate how it feels like I'm not," she whispered.
Closing his eyes, he could hear her heartbeat in his ears; he smiled softly at it. "If you ever feel like your feet are off of the ground, I want you to close your eyes, and listen to your heart."
"How will that help?" she asked after a second of silence.
"Because your mind can wander, but your heart will stay where it is." He placed her hand against his chest. "And that way, you won't stray too far from me. From this place, where you are meant to be."
She closed her eyes; she felt her heartbeat in her ears, and she felt his heartbeat beneath her fingers. Around her, the gentle rush of the river crashed against rocks. The sand beneath her felt warm. The setting sun felt soothing on her skin. The trees whispered around her.
She smiled, meeting his eyes. "Thank you. For keeping me grounded."
He smiled back. "You are most welcome. Remember the heartbeat, and you will always find home."
YOU ARE READING
365
No FicciónI had this idea last night after a few drinks, a pounding headache, and an excessive amount of throat lozenges. In order to inspire me to write more often than I currently do, I am planning to write a new post every day and publish it, allowing me t...
