Long Way Down

The sun was slinking away below the horizon by the time I wobbled out the apartment, my heels giving me more trouble than they were worth. My dress was brushing against my thighs as the wind picked up, rustling leaves and twisting my curls around my shoulders. If it knotted before we got there, Annabelle would kill me.

"We don't want to be late," my father called over the top of the car. He ducked in and rolled the window down. "Henry said there's some light traffic. There's fashionably late then just plain late, Aspen."

Rolling my eyes, I slid into the car and smiled at Henry through the rear view mirror. He nodded courteously before glancing at my dad. There was a pause before he looked at me again and grinned, his teeth lining perfectly against his sun-kissed skin.

"Why aren't we going?" my dad asked, glancing up from his phone and frowning. "Did we forget something? Aspen?"

Hiding the smile threatening to break through, I shook my head. "No dad. Henry was checking before we left. You left your glasses last time. There's being fashionably late then just plain late, Aspen, you had told me, before making us late because you forgot you didn't have your glasses."

Proudly, he lifted the small chain with his glasses dangling. His suit clashed with it but everyone was accustomed to seeing him wear his glasses around his neck - he was a brilliant man, a very smart man, but he was daft when it came to social attitude and what didn't look quite right. It was hard not to love him though, the loveable doof. Although, no one had really expected my dad to take their sarcasm seriously and buy a chain for his glasses.

"Shall we go, Henry?"

"Yes, sir," came the southern boys reply. I bit my lip and looked out the window, keeping my heart rate under control. "Are you okay, Miss?"

Startled, my head snapped towards the front before I smiled at Henry. "I am fine, thank you."

As my dad watched me, Henry tilted his head in a silent question - promise? - to which I simply nodded and looked at my dad. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Isn't that your mother's necklace?" he asked, his eyes looking at the beautiful pendant.

Lifting my fingers, I brushed it across the cold piece of jewellery. It was rough around the edges from her constant wear but it was still as beautiful as the first day my father brought it for her. It was a celebration gift - a new home, for their new bundle of joy.

"It is," I agreed, nodding. "I thought it went well with my dress."

Not saying anything else, he slid his hand across the seat and grasped my hand gently. His thumb stroked my knuckles, much like the way she used to when I was younger and sad. I offered him a comforting expression before giving the outside world my attention.

It wasn't as bad traffic as Henry had told my father, we reached the building with time to spare. Plenty of time for my father to misplace his notes and his glasses, but they were easily located in between the seats.

"I'm going to staple the bloody things to your forehead," I warned him, huffing. My curls were turning slightly frizzy and I was pretty sure my left eye was watering, the pain of my hand getting stuck between the seats ringing clear in my skin.

A sheepish smile crossed his features before he jumped out the car and shut the door, calling a thank you to Henry. He was inside within a matter of seconds, leaving us alone. I looked forward at the sandy haired boy, he looked awfully handsome in his suit. It was sharp, with a red tie to match - a red tie to match my dress.

"I cannot attend, but I'm wearing this colour to support you," he had told me, grinning at me over breakfast. "You'll be okay, Aspen."

"Come here," he whispered, turning in his seat to gesture me forward. "Where's my hello?"