Sweet Tea and Gods Graces

2

The clock struck midnight and the crowd in the bar sang happy birthday as Annie blew out her candles. She used to be so exited to grow up. And now, as she just turned 26, all she wished for was to go back. She has spent her whole adult life wishing to go back. It wasn't that she wasn't satisfied with the life she built, or the friends she's made or anything. She just wished she could've changed things.

Her phone buzzes at exactly 12:01. An unsaved number, simply reading 'Happy Birthday Belle.' She gets one every year. She quickly locked her phone and shoved it in her pocket, ignoring it, just like she does every year.

You would think, 9 years later, that it wouldn't bother her. Taylor was her elementary school best friend, nothing more. Sure, Annie was happy for the girl and of course Taylor was happy for Annie as well. But that happiness remained at a distance. Annie made sure of it. Taylor texted Annie frequently, wishing happy birthdays, happy holidays, sometimes she even asked to meet and talk. Annie hasn't once responded. She couldn't.

It proved hard to avoid Taylor though, with them both being musicians they were bound to be at the same award shows every once in a while, Annie also made sure to stay as far away as humanly possible at those. Even aside from the normal industry functions that they attended, Taylor was incessantly reaching out to the brunette girl. It took absolutely everything in her not to respond to Taylor.

"What's on your mind babe?" Margot, Annie's best friend, had noticed that the singers mind had wandered.

"Nothing, I'm good." She faked a smile.

"She texted didn't she?" Margot knew all about the Taylor situation.

"Yeah, she always does."

"Come on, let's take your mind off of it, yeah?" Margot had walked over to the bar for shots. "Cheers to another year."

The girls took their shots and Margot, being set on making sure her best friend enjoyed her special day, did her best to distract the girl. She was successful for the most part,  but Taylor was always in the back of her mind, every single day for the past 20 years, Taylor's been on her mind. The worst part of it is that she doesn't even blame Taylor, not really. But she can't get herself to forgive her either.

The party continued until the early hours of the morning and eventually after every filed out, Annie found herself in the back of the suburban, her driver Paul opened the door for her, she climbed in and she cried. She cried the whole way home, she didn't know why.

She removed her heels at the door and stumbled into the kitchen, the stillness and silence of her townhouse gave a complete opposite feeling of the bar she was in before. Not quite ready for bed, she poured herself another drink, put a record on and perched herself in the windowsill, scrolling through her phone.

As she sat there she reminisced on the days back when life was perfect, she used to love every second of every day. The moments as kids life was just perfect, there's not a better word for it, everything was absolutely perfect. She could recall the excitement she felt waking up everyday, that excitement wasn't quite there anymore. Again, she loved the life she lived now, she really loved it, but it just wasn't quite the same. There was one specific day that comes to mind, it was the most perfect day.

Back when Annabelle was 11 and Taylor was 9, the girls had decided to have a girls day. Their girls day consisted of the two of them, sweet tea, and a picnic blanket. You see, Taylor had told Annie the day before that she wanted a picnic since she never had one. Annie was determined to give the younger girl the best picnic of her life. She had made a pitcher of sweet tea and poured them each a bottle of it. She made a couple sandwiches, and grabbed some little snacks from the pantry. She didn't have a real wicker basket so she settled on this year's Easter basket. Annie prepared everything, and walked right over to the swift house.