Letters by Her [Book 2]

Chapter 31

"I'm so sorry your graduation day has been so stressful," Kayla said as they sat and ordered dinner, finally having caught up with Ashley's family.

"It's not your fault, Mom." Dusty gazed idly at the menu, though she had no appetite.

"I know you wanted to stay at the hospital with Kyera, but you deserve to come out and celebrate. This is still your day, and you've achieved so much." Kayla put an arm around her daughter and kissed her forehead.

"I don't feel like celebrating." Dusty sighed, unable to take her mind off Kyera.

"Well, I will celebrate on your behalf." Kayla smiled.

"She means get drunk." Dust laughed from the opposite side of the table.

"It's going to be okay," Kayla told her daughter, hating to see her look so despondent on what should have been a joyous occasion. "Is it?"

"I know that you love Kyera, honey, but do you really think she's the right girl for you? You've already been through so much pain; I'd hate to see you hurt anymore."

"She needs me, Mom," Dusty answered.

"Yes, but my concern as your mother is, do you need her?"

****

Dusty sighed wearily as she continued to pack up the contents of her bedroom. Across the room, Ashley sat on her bed, watching her friend with concern. "You don't have to pack now," Ashley said.

"Yes, I do," Dusty replied. "My mom goes back to West tonight."

"And you're going back with her?"

"Yep." Dusty nodded. Each item of clothing was shoved into her duffel bag with unnecessary force.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ashley gingerly suggested.

"Talk about what?" Dusty's reply was sharp.

"About Kyera." Dusty ceased packing and sat down next to her half-full bag of clothes. She bit her lip and stared intently at the floor.

"What is there to talk about?" she asked helplessly, her gaze remaining on the carpet.

"All of it." Ashley came and sat beside her and wrapped a comforting arm around her troubled friend. "Yesterday was graduation, what should have been a happy, memorable occasion, and instead you spent most of it at the hospital after your girlfriend tried to kill herself."

"It was certainly memorable," Dusty quipped.

"I know that you're tough." Ashley rubbed Dusty's shoulder as she spoke. "You've already been through so much horrible stuff, but what happened yesterday is messed up by anyone's standards. It's okay to talk about it. You've barely even looked at me since it happened."

"I just... I just don't understand why she did it," Dusty admitted, glancing up at Ashley with tear-filled eyes.

"I know." Ashley hugged her friend tightly, her voice soothing. "Do you think it was because of that job you've been offered in New York?"

The day before graduation, a letter had arrived for Dusty in a formal envelope with an embossed address on the back. Opening it with shaking hands, she had been jubilant to discover that her application to a prestigious financial broker firm in New York City had been accepted. When the fall commenced she was due to go and live and work in the city, just as she'd always dreamed.

She'd held off delivering the news to Kyera, deciding it would be something exciting to share with her after the chaos of graduation was over. Once their families were gone and they were alone once more she would tell her the wonderful news about her future employment.