Soft Side

Chapter sixty

"Have fun with auntie Becky!" I grin as Becky leaves the flat with Ariella. She had agreed to take her to the park while I finished packing the last few things left in the flat. A sigh leaving my lips as I leant against the wood of the front door, closing my eyes and leaning my head back. Today was a difficult day, so I was glad to be busy today so I didn't have to think about everything. Ariella has some toys in the new flat already in a box so Becky had agreed to take her over there after the park. and I would meet her later on with the last of the things.

I slowly pad to the bedroom, lifting my Starbucks takeaway cup into my hand, sipping the hot coffee Becky had brought round for me since everything else was packed. I press shuffle on my playlist, humming along to the song as I fold clothes and put them into a suitcase that was laid on the bed, lifting up one of my newer dresses and ensuring it was folded correctly so it wasn't creased. My phone vibrated, showing a photo of Ariella on the swings that Becky had sent to me, a smile on my lips as I respond with a simple heart emoji.

My eyes scanned the room, looking to see if anything else needed to be packed in this room, zipping up the suitcase and heading into Ariella's room. I lifted a box onto the floor, packing her last few toys into the box, smiling softly at some of the older toys she owned, remembering when she got them. I grabbed a wooden cow, smiling down at it as I sat on my legs, sighing gently. It was the set Harry had found while he was on tour in America when she was first born, having them now as one of her favourite toys now she was old enough to play a bit more.

Harry had FaceTimed last night to see her, his daughters beam growing wider when she saw her daddy on the screen. She babbled to him, a few random words appearing in it as he simply nodded and responded to her. He may not be in the country anymore, but he was an amazing dad to her. He was meant to be a father. I place the cow in the box, sighing softly at the thought of moving out, and the reasons behind it. It wasn't ideal and it wasn't what I hoped to be doing, but everybody had now gone their separate ways and apart from Harry, I hadn't spoken to anybody, and that was because we had a child together.

I lift the box in my arms, placing it down beside the door with a groan, making my way now into the kitchen, putting the last remaining food items into a bag ready to take to the new place. Ariella's bibs were placed into a box, along with her bowls, spoons and beakers. A smile on my lips as I look at everything resembling my child, the one true love of my life.

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I sigh gently as I sit on the bed in the bedroom, something that was being left behind because I didn't want to memories of what happened on that bed. I didn't want to remember every time we made love or slept in the same place, it was just something that would come back to haunt me and to hurt me. I look around the room that was now empty apart from the furniture which was being left, another sigh leaving my lips.

I turn my head once more, my eyes fixing on something on the windowsill near the curtain. My eyebrows furrow as I walk over slowly, lifting a piece of paper into my hand. There in front of me was a photo of my mum and dad, the two people I needed more than ever but who were no longer here. I felt tears fill my eyes as I bite my lip, moving to sit back onto the bed whilst never letting my eyes leave the photograph.

Today was their anniversary of their passing, hence the reason I was having a difficult day. It was a day that would always hit me hard and would never get easier, I just had to be strong for Ariella so she didn't see me down. I wipe my eyes as a tear slips out, biting my lip softly as I hold the photo close to my heart. I stood up, slowly placing the photograph in the box with Ariellas baby things that I was going to keep as memories, making a mental note to find a frame for the photograph and put it somewhere. I wasn't planning on almost losing it again.

I grabbed the large roll of tape, doing up the box with a sad smile, writing what it contained on top and moving it to the front door where the other boxes lay. I head back to her room, crouching down beside another box to begin to tape that one, repeating my actions from the previous box. The only downside to packing was that it became repetitive, doing the same thing over and over again.

My eyebrows furrowed, hearing the sound of the door knocking. I stand up from my crouched position in Ariellas bedroom, slowly making my way to the door. Nobody had asked to come around so I had no idea who it would be. I place my hand on the cold metal of the door handle, slowly peeling the door open. There stood a body holding a bunch of flowers, smiling sadly at me.

"I remembered today was a difficult day for you and I didn't think it was right for you to be on your own" they said slowly, looking at me sadly, holding the bunch of tulips out to me, a small smile on their lips to lighten the mood. "So I found these on my way over and they reminded me of you" they said quietly.