Mors, Amor, et Fatum

Part 2. Mors Chapter 6

It feels weird being back in the city, Dmitri thought as he exited La Guardia airport and headed towards the taxi pick up. It has been five years since Dmitri had lived in the city; after Sally's death( drop out of reality), Dmitri decided to go to the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. Originally, Dmitri planned on going to Julliard, but every sight was another memory and he found it difficult to move on. But in LA, he had a whole different life, making new friends, honing his skills, and enjoying life again. He was doing so well that he became First Violin in the LA Symphony Orchestra. Now, he was back in NYC because the LA Symphony Orchestra was doing a show as part of the NY Philharmonic's holiday series.

The cab pulled up to a brownstone, where Lex was standing on his stoop, knocking on his door. He ran up and hugged her.

"Hey, Lex, how is London?"

" Oh, it is so diverting, lots to do," she said, with the dramatics of a period actress. "But in all honesty, my tenure in the British Museum has been good. I go back to the Museum of Natural History in the new year."

" That's awesome. The new glasses definitely sell the museum look."

"Yeah, the glasses truly complete the anthropologist look. How's LA?"

"Good, I mean sometimes there is way too much rehearsal. It feels weird to have to wear a coat."

"You haven't had to wear one ages, surprised you found one."

"Ha ha-Hey, mom."

"Hi, honey, would you guys like to come inside?"

"Yeah, probably best to get out of the cold."

They all went inside the house, where Dmitri's mom made them hot chocolate as they caught each other up on their lives.

"Lex, are you going to stay for opening night?"

"Yeah and then I have to head back to Britain to wrap things up there."

After a few hours of conversation, Lex headed back home and Dmitri headed up to his room. He was preparing for bed when he noticed his high school yearbook on the shelf. He flipped through it until he landed on the picture of him, Sally, and Lex on their first day, smiling, having just met each other two hours earlier. At the time, he was nervous and excited, standing in between two attractive girls - covered in pimples. He didn't realize that they both would change and enrich his life, he didn't think they would be friends that long. He continued flipping through the yearbook until midnight when he decided to take a walk. He stopped by a convenience store, before making his way to the small cemetery. By Sally's headstone, he already saw a light flickering.

"Lex?"

"Hey, Dmitri. Coming to pay your respects?"

"Yeah, this day is always weird for me, on the one hand, I'm thankful and on the other I miss her."

"What exactly happened that day? Because when you came to, you looked like you saw hell and like you knew more than you were letting on."

Dmitri sat down and let out a sigh. "I hope you will forgive me for this, Sal." He then told Lex the whole story, from the crash to when he woke up in the ambulance and the promise he made Sally to not let anyone else know. Lex's jaw hung open and there were tears in her eyes for him and for Sally.

"I'm s-so s-s-orry. I don't even have the words. Wow. Watching over the world- we always knew she was out of this world."

Dmitri chuckled. " Good one, even if it was a bit corny." He placed his flowers by the headstone, "Happy Death-anniversary, Sally. The world feels a little safer."