Karma

7| Girl's Night

I stood outside of Lanie's front door for what seemed like hours. It's been two days since my therapy session with Nathan. It went well once we got in the pool. He was able to balance better than in the rehab room. We have another scheduled appointment for tomorrow. I had to admit, it was odd being around him again.

I was trying to keep my thoughts and feelings strictly professional, but it wasn't easy. Nathan was an important part of my life; and even though we had all that water under the thingy, I still cared about him. I've known him and Lanie forever.

Speaking of. . . I lifted my hand and finally knocked on the door. I shifted on my feet uncomfortably while I tried not to run away like a coward. I hadn't seen Lanie in the same amount of time as Nathan. Nearly twelve years. I wasn't even here with their parents passed away. By the time I found out, they had already had the funeral. I called Lanie and offered my condolences and we had talked for a little while. But not since then. I had no idea if she even wanted to see-

The front door opened. "Karma? Oh, my God!" She embraced me in a hug so tight I thought I was going to pass out. "I can't believe it! You're here."

She let me go and I brushed my hair out of my face. "It's good to see you, Lanie."

She smiled at me and I felt the same nostalgia that I was sure she was feeling. I remembered the countless times I stood on this porch and knocked on this door. "Do you want to come in?"

"Yeah, of course." I replied honestly. I came to see her after all.

I followed her inside and stopped when I saw living room. Everything was the same-but it was different, too. Lanie kept some of her mom's decorations, but also modernized it. I remembered the many sleepovers Lanie, Harper, and I had here in this living room. We should put blankets down and have endless snacks. We would rent movies from the video stores and stay up all night. We would do our nails, our hair, and we even nagged Nathan to death. I missed it. All of it.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you."

My chest tightened as I joined her in the kitchen. "Same here. I've really missed you."

She grabbed a pitcher of water from the fridge and poured some in a glass. She took a big gulp before she offered me some. "Want some water? We got wine and juice, too."

I hung my purse on the chair and sat down at her table. "Juice is fine, thanks."

She handed me the cup and sat across from me. "You know, I knew you were coming. Even before you got here."

I laughed and sipped the cranberry juice. "Still got your psychincess I see." Lanie had always had a scary intuition. She would just know things sometimes. It was always hard to keep a secret from her. Which really sucked for Nathan. She always called his bullshit.

"Something like that." She got up from the table and went to grab something from a box on the counter. When she hundred it to me, I took it with a shaky hand. "I found this a few weeks ago when Ayden and I were cleaning the attic. As soon as I saw it, I knew you were coming home."

When I looked at the picture of Nathan and I from when we dated, the memory of that day came screaming back at me.

"Hold still so I can take a picture." Lanie whined as she looked through the camera.

I was sitting next to Nathan as he covered his face.

"I don't do pictures, L. You know that."

I pushed my shoulder into Nathan's "Come on. For me?"

He looked at me with an expression that said he wasn't falling for it. I placed little butterfly kisses on his lips, hoping that would work. It didn't.