Between Clouds and Closure

"Post Divorce Depression, Maybe?"

Daxton walked in to find us still in embracing.
"I guess we won then."
"Oh! baby," she said, throwing her arms around his neck. I wiped away the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. There was a sense of new found relief that had settled in my chest.

"Let's go out to celebrate tonight." she said, turning to me. I was about to respond, when my phone started ringing with Bryce's name flashing across the screen. I let it ring and go to voicemail. "Why did you let it go to voicemail?" Rosa asked. My head snapped up from where I had been staring at the phone.
"I need sometime to be by myself." I replied, putting the phone into my purse.
"He doesn't know?"
I shook my head.
"Do you love him?"
I chuckled, "I don't think I'm going to fall in love with anyone for a while. I do really like him though."
"But do you want to be with him?" She asked, as we made our way towards the exit of the building, while waiting for her driver to bring the car around.
"Honestly, I don't know. I need to figure out the next phase of my life. For one, I'm selling the house."
She looked surprised at that. "You are?"

"Yeah, I found a nice place in Phoenix and I plan to buy a house there and settle down."
"But that's so far away," she whined.
"Dramatic much? It's less than two hours away by flight."
"Still, so you're leaving Cali for good then." She asked, facing me her husband standing at her side, tapping at his phone screen.
"I'll always have you here, I'll definitely come back to visit."
"Didn't think it was something that needed to be said."

My phone started to ring again and I thought it was Bryce again but when I pulled it out, I saw that it was my mother. "It's mum." I say to my sister before hitting the answer button.
"So? What did the judge say?" That was so typical of my mom. No pleasantries, just barreling straight to the point.
"The judge ruled in my favour, my marriage has been officially and legally dissolved."
"Oh mi amor, I'm so happy for you " she wasn't the Hispanic one amongst our parents but she had taken to calling us endearments in the language.
"Thank you mum."
"I'm truly proud of you, mi querida. You're so strong, stronger than I ever was." I could hear her voice breaking as she spoke.
"It's not too late," I said,  teasing.

"Oh Ava, your father hasn't cheated in well over seven years. He's changed." I rolled my eyes at her coming to his defense as usual.
"You keep rolling your eyes and one day, it'll get stuck at the back of your skull. Where's Rosa?" I laughed at that, then handed the phone to my sister.

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It had been two days after the court hearing and I had decided to talk to Bryce. I was surprised he hadn't barged to my sister's house demanding to see me. He'd taken a while to respond and I figured he was pissed. He eventually agreed to meet with me the following day.

I didn't expect him to arrive before me, like the first time we hung out but I was pleasantly surprised when I got in, was led to a secluded area on the rooftop and I saw him already sitting. He was dressed in a black buttoned down long sleeve shirt, the first button undone with dark grey pants, paired with black dress boots. I ignored the way my heart started to beat rapidly in my chest.

I took the seat from across him, just as a waiter made his way towards us with the menu. I noticed that we were the only ones on the rooftop and I couldn't help but think it wasn't a coincidence. We stayed silent till the waiter was out of earshot before he pinned me with an accusing gaze.

"What the hell Ava? I tell you how I feel and you just disappear on me?"
"That's not what happened." I replied, my voice laced with guilt.
"No? I tell you I'm falling for you and that was the last I hear from you," he said with a cock of his eyebrow.
"That's why I sent you a text yesterday." I replied.
"That's not good enough." He said, crossing his hands over his chest.