Adieu

Comfort in Knowing (Michayla)

Michayla felt her cheeks pull up at the corners, the new resolve that had just been ignited deep in her chest raging brightly and giving her actual, sustainable hope. The young woman had come to terms with the fact that she may never go into remission. It took a guardian angel and an emotional afternoon with her mother to get her there, but progress was progress, no matter which way you sliced it. While most would've seen this as Mickey giving up, she knew that in reality she was only getting started. No matter if it were a month, week, or only a day. Michayla was going to move forward with whatever time she had left and make the most of it. She owed it to herself and the family she was leaving behind.

Turning her attention to the kitchen then, Michayla would go to stand, being sure to tug Dezmond up and out of his chair as well. She'd release his hands then, expecting him to follow as she went about preparing their beverages. The two were quiet as they shuffled here and there about the kitchen, Dezmond reaching for the cups and silver wear while Michayla found the honey and produced a small pitcher of cream. While she had always appreciated the silent spaces that sat between the most musical and loud moments of her life, she had only really ever enjoyed them when in her own company or the company of those she loved. When she would be seated behind the curtain with her peers, the forced quiet that would accompany casual small talk always left the woman anxious and uneasy. Rather it was banquets, events, or even school productions when she was younger, Michayla remembered always feeling out of place and out of touch in the negative spaces. The quiet moments were precious to the young woman and when she was forced to share them with people that weren't equally precious, well.

Yet, with Dezmond, it felt natural. Easy. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that, up until last night, he had been invisible to her. While the motions he took and the way he moved about comfortably in her space were familiar and second nature to him, it should've been alien and foreign to Mickey. Instead, it filled her with a sense of comfort and ease. As she poured the warm beverage into either of the cups laid in front of her, Mickey couldn't help but smile softly. Setting the kettle down and sliding Dezmond his tea, Mickey would opt to pull herself up onto the counter as she sipped. Once she had tasted and was satisfied with the flavor of the tea in relation to the honey and cream she had added, she would sit the cup securely in the dish that rested on her lap before turning her attention back to the angel. Though the smile didn't leave her face, her tone had taken a more serious note as she spoke softly, "I never liked to admit it to myself but, since leaving the orchestra, my life's been rather lonely. Besides the occasional visit from mom, I've very rarely seen anyone else. Which I understand. Concert season is in full swing after all." She would pause for a moment to take another quick sip of her tea before continuing. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, even though in those moments I felt absolutely alone, it's comforting now to know that, truly, I never was. It's also an added bonus to know that you'll be by my side until the very end, as well." Running her finger along the rim of her cup, Michayla could feel herself retracting back into her own thoughts.

Shaking her head slightly and clearing her throat, Mickey crossed one leg over the other and rested her elbow on her knee, giving Dezmond a quick smirk before asking simply, "So you'd sit in on my performances, yes? I'm curious to know which were your favorite."