Unexpected, you.

Broken, just a little.

[oh my god, it's finally here. I've been working on this for a while and let me tell you, I have been so nervous! I haven't written for peryl in a very long time so here goes nothing! 🌚🌚 Chapter one is short and was going to be a lot slonger but where I ended it I was kinda happy sooo chapter two will be up as soon as I can! Sit, read, and please let me know what you think ❤️ ]

Day one.

  April, 1978.

And in you, I found something I no longer believed existed.

--

Perfect.

(Adjective)

Definition: having all the required or desirable qualities or characteristics; as good as it possible to be.

Perfection had never been something Meryl believed in or looked for in another person because to her, it seemed unattainable and therefore, unrealistic; but god help her, he was pretty damn close. Everything he did or touched was done with such malicious care that falling in love seemed like the easiest thing in the world – living without him though, that was hard. So, no, Meryl never looked for perfection yet it found her anyway and when she found herself suddenly without it, the hardest part was trying to remain that strong woman he had met without withering away like she desperately wanted too – she had a promise to keep, after all.

A promise to live.

—

Knock Knock Knock.

Meryl grumbles soundly into the cushion she was resting on and in a weak attempt to shield herself from the consistent knocking, pulls a thin throw blanket over herself. It was probably Harry and Dana with supplies for tonight's memorial that if she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure she could face it. She wasn't sure she wanted too but John did; It was idea in the first place. Grunting when it becomes apparent whoever it is wasn't leaving any time soon, she reluctantly drags herself off the sofa and pads to the front door, in which she swings open with a flourish. To her surprise, Robert stands opposite her, a takeaway tray in his grasp.

She softens instantly. "Robert."

He smiles shyly, lifting one finger into the direction of her apartment. "Can I?"

"Of course," Meryl ushers him in quickly.

He places the tray down on the coffee table taking one of the Styrofoam cups and gesturing silently for her to take the other before shifting around and sitting in the single seated sofa chair in the corner. Though they weren't the closest of friends, every week without fail, Robert had dropped by with coffee or an invitation to dinner and they both know he's checking in on her but for a reason she can't put her finger on just yet, she knew they would be lifelong friends. He might not be the most talkative person, but he was definitely one of the kindest.

"Are you reading for something?"

Meryl hums, confused.

"The script." Robert points out, lying open with lines highlighted.

"Oh," clearing her throat, she shakes her head. "No, um," she pauses, "I got the role I auditioned for not too long ago."

"Alan Alda's film?"

"Yeah."

Robert smiles. "Well, congratulations."

"Thank you." Finally taking the remaining cup from the tray, she curls both hands around it and hums contently with the warmth of it. "I feel less then prepared though. With tonight and the screening on Monday, it's just a lot all at once."