Penny for your thoughts

Can't buy happiness

Leyla

I knew two shakes of cinnamon and extra foam wasn't worth it.

Why did I make the wait even just 5 minutes longer?

Well, it's a convenient excuse for me to finally come up with something to say.

But, there's nothing. No words were going through my adrenaline-pumped brain. All I have is the need to run.

Run to her.

It's very unlike me, after all the prepping and organizing of everything else the past few years.

My mind is racing as if I'm back in the battlefield. Like she's out there bleeding and crying all alone. All that matters is I that I get to her now.

As soon as her name gets called up, she thanks the barista. She grabs both cups in her hands and practically jumps out of the coffee shop to her trusty sedan.

Lauren

I could hear every car drive by outside my apartment.

Each rumble slamming right through my chest. If I wasn't a doctor, I'd think I was having a heart attack.

Any minute now and a knock will come through the door. It'll be over. For real.

In the last few minutes, I've steeled myself, but I've been preparing for this moment for years now.

Everything was for this, the sessions with Mia, meditation, therapy, NA meetings. It's been a long, hard road and I haven't fallen off the wagon. There's been a couple of close calls whenever I'd hear gossip that she's with someone new.

This time it will be a combination of every single one of those moments in one. It's gonna hurt like hell, but I'm rea-

Times up.

Leyla knocks on her door; coffee in hand, puke orange bag hanging from her right arm.

Lauren hesitates to walk a step toward the door.

While Leyla takes a deep breath in and out, to compose herself from all that running. Lauren holds her breath for what's to come.

With a few steps and a single turn and pull of the knob. All of their swirling emotions come to a stop. Their eyes finally land on each other, and they exchange polite smiles.

In a second, Lauren's eyes start to wander. She admires how Leyla's mustard orange halter dress compliments her gorgeous complexion.

She braces herself on the door frame and stammers. Well.. at least she attempts to start a word or two before turning her head away to catch her breath. She wasn't expecting Dr. Shinwari to be so.. stunning.

Leyla breaks the awkward silence passing them by.

"Hey, is this a bad time?"

She composes her smile as she turns to face Leyla again.

"Uh no. It's fine. Sit anywhere you like."

Leyla smiles back knowing exactly what she just did to Lauren. She steps into the apartment, and sets down the coffee on a coffee table she's never seen before.

In fact, the entire space looks renovated and refurnished. Modern boho chic, matching the peace that Lauren seems to have embraced.

"Wow. You really filled the space up since the housewarming party." Leyla commented.

"Yeah, I fell in love with the space. After all the DIYs, I had more inspiration for the interior."

Leyla's stomach turned as she noticed their tree was gone. She saw it at the housewarming. She thought for sure she'd keep it.