The Reunion

Chapter 9 - Karlie

Karlie had failed to come up with a decent excuse that would be sensible enough to get out of the cookout. Twenty minutes later she groaned as she put on her bikini and her cut-off jean shorts and a white tank top over top. In a last-ditch effort, she grabbed her tropical print button down shirt.

She stood in the driveway of the Thomas' staring at the house for what felt like an eternity while holding a case of beer and a vase full of flowers.

This had been a mistake. She really should have given Miles some excuse, any excuse, no matter how flimsy it would have been. She shouldn't be here.

She could barely remember the last time she had been here. All the time was blurring together, meshing in her memories. But, out of all of them, the house hadn't changed much. The hedges were still pristinely trimmed, the walkway to the front door had zero weeds to be seen among the flowers and greenery. It was a two-story home that from the front yard, was deceivingly small. Once you were inside, there was so much more space.

Laughter and splashing from the back yard took her out of her frozen state. Karlie walked slowly to the back of the driveway passing the wrap-around porch. There was no fence, only trees and bushes that hid the massive back yard from the view of the front. They had the largest house in the whole neighborhood. The pines at the end of the drive had grown taller and really hid the backyard beyond.

The Thomas' had an inground pool that was large enough to have a very shallow end, one where you could sit in it and the water barely came to your stomach, and a deep end with a water slide and a diving board.

"Sarah! Can you get me the good grilling tongs?" A man yelled, and Karlie smiled at David's voice. "These are awful. Where did we even get these?"

There was the familiar aroma of food on a grill, and someone must have applied their sunblock because she could smell a tangy floral scent in the air. She could hear small splashing and laughter over the steady thrum of music on a small speaker.

"Daddy, throw me higher!" A high-pitched squeal pierced the air.

Karlie squinted at the pool, her sunglasses not helping her eyes adjust to the light, and she couldn't believe what she saw. Nathan was in the pool with a toddler. He was a few seconds shy of tossing the little girl in the air when he caught her figure approaching slowly.

"Oh my God. Karlie Harris!" He yelled so loud that everybody in the back yard turned to her in one motion.

Karlie felt her shoulders rise to her ears in uncomfortable embarrassment. She offered a weak smile and an awkward wave of a hand. The vase sloshing a bit in the air.

Miles walked out of the sliding glass door, holding a plastic bowl, and yelled, "You made it!" He waved her over. "I ran into Karlie on my coffee run in the market downtown." He explained to everyone.

A head popped out of the door behind him. Sarah Thomas looked from one side to the other. "Did I hear someone say Karlie Harris?" Karlie still had flowers raised uncomfortably in the air. "Ah! Sweetie, get your butt over here! Oh, these flowers are beautiful!"

Karlie let out a small sigh of relief, and with the back of her hand, she pushed up her sunglasses.

As she sat down the bouquet and beer down, she felt two small hands grasp her face.

"Let me look at you." Sarah looked all but the same. Her dark wavy hair had gotten slightly greyer, she was still shorter than Karlie, and she had more lines around her eyes. The way she looked at Karlie; her eyes were the same. They were so kind and welcoming, a reminder of home.

Sarah pulled her into a tight hug despite the heat and the sweat. "Oh, what a wonderful surprise! I had no idea you were in town!" She swayed her back and forth.