Never I Thought

Chapter 33 - Reconcile The Despair

"You sure you want to do this?" Penny asked beside me, her arms crossed while looking up at the big, modern home.

I gave her half a smile, "are you saying talking to our ex-best friend is a terrible idea?"

"I just think maybe she should come to you when she's ready."

I had considered it, giving Mabel all the time she needed until she felt forgiving enough but I couldn't just let life take over. No more letting time control me. And if I was to regret it, at least I had tried.

"I'm not ready," I admitted, "but we really need our Mabel back."

With that, the two of us began to head towards her front door, the entrance something I had been familiar with for years but it now felt like her home knew what had happened and turned cold. I knocked on the door loudly and waited, I could hear people talking and kids shouting. It sort of reminded me of Robin's house.

I missed that busyness.

After a minute the door swung open and one of Mabel's little brothers, Aaron, opened the door.

"Hey," he said, looking between Penny and I.

"Hey," I replied, "is Mabel home?"

His face squeezed together and then turned back.

"HEY DAIKI! IS MABEL HERE?" He shouted at his cousin.

Daiki appeared, a spitting image of Kei but shorter height and longer hair.

"Yeah, she's up in her room, probably kissing her boyfriend," he grinned cheekily which made Aaron laugh.

"You can go up," Aaron opened the door wider, "have fun, she's been in a mood lately. We have no idea why."

Penny and I shared a brief look before taking the stairs up to her sister's room where she had been booted to for Kei and Daiki's sake.

"What do I even start with?" I whispered, realising that I hadn't prepared any sort of speech.

Penny squinted, "maybe start with 'sorry'."

I raised my eyebrows, "I think that was implied."

She reached forward and knocked on the bedroom door. My stomach was doing flips and my doubts were getting ahead of my hopes.

What if visiting her ruins everything? What if she isn't ready to forgive and I'm forcing her to?

"Mum! The boys were being so loud I had to close the door—" Mabel's voice called out as the handle turned and the door opened.

I could see the disbelief in her eyes, questioning if we were actually here. We had taken her by surprise that she didn't even seem angry just confused.

"May, I— we really want to talk with you," I said, "work things out."

Behind us we heard whispering, I saw Daiki and Aaron sitting on the stairs watching. Mabel rolled her eyes and opened the door wider.

"Stop eavesdropping! It's rude!" She scowled and slammed the door once we were in.

I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw Matt sitting on the mattress on the floor. He was on his phone typing something.

"Hey guys," he said not looking up as if he expected us.

"Hey," Penny and I mumbled.

Mabel cleared her throat and he glanced up at her, they had a private conversation with their expressions but I got the gist of it. She was telling Matt to leave.

"Oh, I better go see what, um— I need to take a phone call," he said hopelessly and quickly left the room.

Mabel sat on her sister's bed, "so?"