Descent (Dysmorphia Series #2)

A New Dawn

Florence picked up her pink duffel bag with a sigh and turned to face the five people behind her knowing that this was probably going to be one of the hardest things she would ever have to do, Her Mother, Father, Cole, Charlie, and Cooper all looked back at her each wearing a different expression.

She turned to her parents at first, in a way they would be the easiest to say goodbye to, no broken hearts, tears or sorrowful words, they wanted her to do this for herself, knew that her heart was set upon it, she hugged them both close to her inhaling their smell and storing it away in her memory for future reference on lonely nights, they were hers and she was theirs and that would never change.

"Call us as soon as you get there" her Father squeezed her hand and then kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"Make us proud love, like we know you will" a whisper of a kiss on her cheek by her Mother and then the two of them stepped back, like if they didn't put distance between themselves and her they would end up bundling her back into their house and never letting her go.

For some reason, this didn't feel like a moment for tears.

Cooper was next, her usually slim frame had become far more rounded in the past two months and she was distinctively pregnant, the glow was still there as she wrestled Florence into a hug.

"Come and visit my little one, you just make sure your here"

Florence squeezed her back even tighter.

"Coops I would not miss it for the world, I will be here don't you worry you just carry on eating like a horse and doing your breathing exercises and I'll call you every single night to check up on you come rain or shine"

"I love you, Flo, have fun there and live your life to the absolute fullest"

Her heart was aching with love, she expected it to burst at any moment and didn't know how she was going to leave, it was always like this, you became so set on an idea, there were wobbles along the way but when it came to the final execution of your long-awaited plan it was hard to complete.

Charlie held out a hand to her and then seemed to change her mind, practically dragging Florence towards her by the roots of her hair and hugging her.

"I still don't think this is right, any of it Flo, but it's your life I guess"

And then she was forced to look at Cole, who's eyes were purposely fixed on the blades of grass swaying gently in the wind as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"Bye Cole" was all she could think to say, okay maybe not all she could think to say, there were a billion things she needed to say to Cole Roberts at that very moment, angry things, healing words and promises that she knew she could never keep.

The two of them were doomed to cause each other pain, always had been always would be.

And since that day where she had told him she was leaving he hadn't spoken a word to her, he'd packed his bags and went to stay with Levi of all people, he had only returned that morning to collect his key from her and go back to living in the flat without her.

Charlie had told her he'd remembered a lot more, that the rest and security of his surroundings along with Levi's expert help was really helping him piece back together his life, she'd said this all with an expression that practically screamed that had Florence tried harder to make him remember his recovery would be a lot quicker.

But she couldn't do that to herself or to him, this was best.

The only person missing was Natalie, her agent had wanted to be there for the final send-off but she was too busy that day supervising the dispatching of the new editions of Dysmorphia, she could have still made it but had also had a nieces christening to attend to, it had still been nice to FaceTime her goodbyes.

She'd said goodbye to anyone who mattered to her so why did she still feel like someone was left behind?

The five of them all stood there like performers in a badly-rehearsed play like they had no idea what happened next.

Florence cleared her throat.

"Well everyone I guess this is goodbye, for now, I'll let you all know when I arrive..."

And then the taxi began making its way down the road like it sensed she needed an escape.

Her Father and Cole both stepped forward to help her lift her suitcase into a taxi, she turned around to say thank you but before she could Cole had grabbed a hold of her arm and was tugging her towards the side of the house.

"Flo," he said urgently 

"I really need to talk to you, we can't leave it like this, I've remembered something and I really need you to help me understand it"

"Cole I really can't I have my flight and this is all just too muddled up"

And now was the time where she decided to cry.

"I remembered seeing you for the first time" he blurted out 

"And knowing that something important was going to happen to bring the two of us together and change our lives and for better and for worse we need each other Florence"

She didn't even want to look at anyone, to give any of this a chance because she was leaving right now.

"Cole that's all just crazy talk, your an amnesiac and you don't understand what's going on, I need to go and work everything out, maybe one day we can talk about this, but not right now"

She managed to pry herself from his grasp and tumble into the car to the surprise of her bemused father.

"The Airport please" she addressed the driver knowing that she needed to get away as soon as possible.

Just before she turned the bend she saw them, Cole looking crushed, Charlie with a consoling arm around him, Cooper looking beyond confused and her parents locking eyes with her, eyes that stayed with her even when they were way out of sight.

This was the life she had chosen, now she would live it.