Ayla Pezzino thought she had it all. A successful career as a marketing executive in New York City, a new man by her side, and a fresh start after the heartbreak that shattered her world six years ago. But when she receives the devastating news that...
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"I'm sorry for your loss, Ayla."
I don't look up, but just keep staring into the side yard, "Same to you, Seth."
"Am I allowed to sit," He asks gently, pointing to the empty spot next to me on the porch swing.
I shrug. "Sure."
"How have you been?" He takes a seat next to me on the swing, invading my space. My personal bubble, popped.The warmth of his presence and scent of his cologne radiates onto me like the August sun beating onto us. He still smells the same. Clean, of spice and woods. YSL. It's clearly still his favorite.
"Are you seriously asking me that right now?" I let out a humorless laugh and throw my headback with a sigh, covering my face with my hands.
"Stupid question, I get it. I'm sorry. I saw you sneak up here and I just wanted to check on you. It's been a while. These aren't exactly the circumstances I was hoping to see you under."
I remove my hands from my temples and look at him unkindly. "Seth, I really cannot do this right now."
He sits back and sighs, his gaze leaving me and staring out onto the side yard. "Listen, I know you're hurt, I am too, we all are Ay, but I just wanted to check on you."
I sigh in frustration and stand up, leaning onto the railing, looking out at the yard and all of the cars parked lining up down the street, some even on the grass. They're all here for Sage. To celebrate her, commemorate her, remember her. "You're right, I'm sorry. This is just.. a lot right now. I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"I think it's funny, you know, the last couple of days I was preparing myself for all of this. But it wasn't until I actually saw you delivering the eulogy, that I realized you were going to be here too. Obviousy you'd be here. Subconsciously, I knew that. But it wasn't clear in my mind at the time."
"Yeah, I guess it's the same on my end too." My voice is as tired and empty as my heart is heavy.
"Your speech was beautiful, Ay. You did a really good job." Seth approaches form behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I shimmy my shoulder out from under him and take a step from the side. "Thanks, it took a lot out of me to write it." I let out a small laugh before continuing. "I puked this morning while I was practicing it in the mirror."
"I bet you did, you were the puker of the group." A small but genuine smile forms, pulling at the edges of his mouth - just the slightest. That smile was my favorite part about him. Of all of his beautiful features, his bright, wide smile that showcased his pearely whites was my favorite right next to his ambery eyes. That smile almost makes me weak like it used to, and then my brain remembers where we left off and the smile that I almost shared with him is checked and sent back to wherever it came from. Instead my face falls flat and anger bubbles inside of me. How could he smile right now? Smile with me. Smile on the day we just said goodbye to our best friend. It feels like an ultimate betrayal.
