Country Mile

KEEP IT THAT WAY

By the time Genna and Adam made it home, the young girl felt the familiar syphoning of energy from such a purgative therapy session. Peeling back the layers of herself and analyzing them for what they were, not just what they appeared to be, exerted more mental and emotional effort the deeper she went. This time, she hit bone. The very core of her trauma and she felt like she could finally start to rebuild herself, healing one layer at a time, from the inside out.

Upon entering the house, Genna went straight up the stairs and knocked on Delilah's door. A soft 'come in' was mumbled from the other side, and when she entered, the blonde was sitting at her desk doing homework.

Delilah immediately perked up when she noticed Genna's appearance.

"Hey! You and Daddy are home early."

"Yeah, Dad just dropped me off, he had to run to Wilford's to get grain."

"Oh," Delilah said. "Did you know Anne likes Hip-Hop? Like, on the drive home, I was shocked when I turned the volume up and she had Mood playin' from her phone."

Genna let out a laugh and shook her head. "I had no idea."

Delilah nodded before finally asking, "How was today's visit?"

"It was... ground breaking."

Delilah's eyebrows rose significantly as she turned in her seat to fully face her sister. "Are you serious? Genna, that's awesome! How are you? Are you okay? Do you need a hug? Wanna punch a pillow? Just tell me and I'll make it happen."

Genna took in a deep breath and released it with a shake of her hands. "I wanna smoke."

A sly grin spread across Delilah's face. She rose from her seat and lifted the secret compartment she had made for her own vanity chair that matched the old one that now belonged to Genna.

Pulling out one of the pack of smokes they shared, she grabbed two cigarettes and a lighter. Making a grand gesture with her arm, she did her best British accent.

"After you, madam."

Genna laughed and gave a shake of her head as she walked by to open Delilah's window. The girls carefully climbed out and moved to their usual seats upon the roof when they snuck a smoke. It wasn't often, in fact it was a rarity, but it was something the two had always done. It was their secret. Their's and nobody else's.

Delilah took a deep drag and slowly blew out the smoke. "So you're okay?"

Genna mimicked her sister before answering, "I think so. I think I'm finally okay."

Letting out a groan, the blonde laid her head upon her slightly older sister's shoulder. "Oh thank God because I was really missin' us and our shenanigans."

"I've missed us too." Genna rested her head upon Delilah's with a broad smile, content in every way.

The girls talked and laughed and smoked as they watched the sun sink lower in the sky. The spring wind left a slight chill, but that sun remained warm. Genna watched as clouds passed by and her heart soared as she listened to Delilah's laugh lilting on the breeze. Everything Mrs. Hammond had said made sense to her, and the little blonde sitting beside her made it true: these clouds were the best thing to have ever happened to her.

When the conversation started to slow, the girls decided to head in before they pushed their luck too far and got caught redhanded. They stood up and completed their ritual: one deep inhale at the same time, holding the smoke as long as they could to see who would exhale first.

Genna always won, but this time Delilah bested her.

"HAH!" the blonde crowed, "IN YO FACE!"

"Shut up, I let you win."