Grace
“Grace, what’s going on? What are you doing here?” Autumn asked as I stood on her front porch with my suitcase. When life fell apart, I was always thankful that best friends existed.
“Sorry I just stopped by without calling, but my phone died, my car died, and…” I paused briefly as my eyes watered over. “I think my marriage died, too!” I sobbed, covering my face with my hands. I shook my head back and forth and took a breath, trying to pull myself together as best I could. Autumn’s eyes watered over, and she placed her hands against her chest. We were those kinds of friends—whenever one cried, the other’s tears weren’t that far behind.
“Oh my gosh, Grace…” she whispered, her voice cracking.
“I was just hoping I could stay here for a while,” I told her, walking into her place with my suitcase. “I would’ve asked you earlier, but for some reason, I thought Finn would come around and still want me.”
I sat down on the couch and took in a few deep breaths as my head stayed lowered.
My heart, my brain, and my body were all exhausted.
It had been a long day.
“I just…I wish you would’ve called,” Autumn said flatly.
“Yeah, but I know how busy you’ve been,” I said, looking up toward her. Tears were still falling from her eyes, and the heaviness in her stare seemed almost as sad as I felt.
“It’s okay, Autumn. I know I’m a bit of a mess, but I’m better now that I’m…” I glanced at her table, where one glass of water and one opened beer sat. Autumn didn’t drink beer. She always thought it tasted like garbage. “I’m sorry, do you have company?” My chest tightened. Then, I noted a small red thong under her chair. “Oh my gosh, are you on a date? I’m so sorry! I should’ve called.”
“Grace…” she whispered.
Her lips parted once more, but she couldn’t speak. Her body trembled, and no words were coming out of her mouth. I looked around her place and noticed a pair of tennis shoes…shoes I’d seen before. Then there was a shirt sitting on her chair.
My eyes zoomed in on the yellow polo.
I slowly stood and walked over to it.
“Gracelyn,” Autumn whimpered, but now I knew the tears weren’t falling for me, but rather for her own emotions.
I picked up the yellow polo, studying it. It had a rip under the arm and a nasty stain on the bottom that wouldn’t come out no matter how hard I tried.
I looked up at my friend.
My best friend.
My person.
My life.
Fire burned in my stomach, and tears flowed from her eyes. She became overwhelmed with emotion and began sobbing uncontrollably.
“It was you…?” I whispered.
“Oh my gosh, Grace!” she cried. Her hand landed over her mouth to control her sobbing mess, but still, I watched her fall apart in front of me.
It was her.
Not a random woman, but her.
Her.
Autumn.
The woman who’d been through wars with me.
I hadn’t been able to really get in touch with her lately, and when I had, she’d ended our calls fast, always telling me she’d call me back, yet she never had.
