We're half way through Dances with Wolves when she finally asks the question that I've been grateful to avoid, "so, about last night. It was about Arizona wasn't it?"
I stare harder at the intermission screen on the TV, but I can feel the heat of her blue eyes on the side if my face, pleading me to answer. I muster a nod. "Teddy, it's okay to have nightmares." She reaches out and strokes my back, "It's normal, especially with the one year mark just around the corner."
"Can we, um, not talk about this?" I ask, while a single tear betrays me and rolls down my cheek. I receive no answer. "Please?" I plead, finally making eye contact with the red head.
She blinks and drops her head, which shocks me, it's not like Addison to give up. "Okay. But remember, I'm here if you change your mind." She gives me a meek smile.
"Thanks." I know I should talk about it, Maura's been texting me for almost a week trying to make plans for the weekend. And I also know that I should text her back because we should do something to commemorate the life we shared together. The life that ended so abruptly. But I just can't, every time I think about her all I can do is cry, then I get mad, and it's all a huge disaster, so I just try to ignore it.
The intermission finally ends, pulling me from my thoughts. I wipe away the tears that betrayed me and focus on the movie. I feel release from the eyes that were boring into me when she re-positions herself against the arm of the couch and stretches across the length of it, her feet burring under me.
"Really Addie?" I laugh trying to get away from the feet.
"What?" She questions innocently.
"Your feet are like ice cubes! Why must you always insist on burring them in me?"
"Because you're hot, so it's only logical." Addie smirks.
"Uh huh, if you say so."
"I do," her smile spreads from ear to ear, and I again find myself thinking about how cute she is.
As the movie draws closer to it's end I shift so the I'm laying in her lap. I try to stifle my cries but she catches on, "Are you crying?"
"No." I whimper.
Her head dips down to look at my face, "I think you are." Her hands stroke my hair away from my eyes.
"It's just so sad. Why are white people so terrible?"
"I don't know, babe. I really don't." Her fingers twist and tangle in my sandy blonde locks, causing me to snuggle further into her.
Before I knew it I was waking up to gentle nudges from the woman beneath me. "Teddy, the movie is over. Are you hungry?"
"In more ways than one." I joke. I feel her stiffen under me, and I laugh.
"We've discussed that."
"I know, it's still fun to joke though," I say, sitting up and stretching. "What do you want for lunch?"
Her face is pensive before she finally answers, "I've really had a craving for sushi lately, but I don't want to drive to get any."
I giggle, "I'm also hella broke, so can't do that right now. Does anything else sound good?"
She's silent for almost I minute before she exclaims, "Ooh! Mac-and-cheese!"
I can't help but laugh, "How do you go from sushi to mac-n-cheese!?"
"Shut up." A playful swat lands on my shoulder, "you know I'm weird."
"True," I laugh as I make my way into the kitchen to locate the food of desire. "You're in luck," I call to the other room, "I have one box of shells and cheese left."
"Yasss! My favorite!" She yells back.
I can't help but laugh at her enthusiasm, and once again find myself thinking about how cute she is. 'Ugh. Why does she have to make my life more complicated?'
YOU ARE READING
Life After You
FanfictionIt's been a year since Arizona's death. Teddy and Maura have gone their separate ways, but have come back together to remember the life that they shared with their best friend. Second book to "The First Cut is the Deepest". It was a year ago that...
