After All These Years

A Night Under the Stars

          "I know you're unhappy with me," are the first words Ella hears when opening her front door, "but I come with a peace offering along with an apology." Sawyer had a bag of Old Dutch original potato chips in his hands. "As I recall, these used to be your favorite," he says handing her the crinkling bag.

          "I forgive you." She didn't want to hear the apology she knew would be next. It was easier for her to accept his apology and continue on whether she meant it or not, which she wanted to, but the pain still wrung her heart like a soaked towel.

          "You do?" He was sure it would take more than a sixty percent air filled bag of goodness and salt. The bags and dark circles under her eyes said it all, she was exhausted. He hadn't seen her this way since the beginning of their separation, and he hoped he never would again. She wouldn't talk to him then, would she now?

          She hums, "Yeah, I just don't want to talk about it right now, though, if that's okay." There was his answer, granted it may not be in correlation to the topic at hand in his head.

          "Of course, it's more than okay. Thank you for your forgiveness. I know I've been difficult, and I don't deserve it, but I appreciate this second chance."

          Maybe he was right in calling it a second chance. She would love if the two could go back in time and start over, alas it was an impossible thing to do. There was no way she could forget all those memories, thoughts, and emotions; the endless nights of tears and restlessly tossing and turning. But if they cleaned the slate, forgave, and tried to forget, then maybe things could be similar to how they once were all those years ago.

          "Thank you," she raises the bag to acknowledge the gift.

          "I hope you enjoy them. See you later, yeah?"

          "Bye," she squeaks, shutting the door and heading up to her room. She had just come down to spend time in another space but with that as her greeting, she only felt the need to sigh and tread back up the stairs.

          "That poor boy." Michael Peters says to his wife in the living room after seeing the interaction that took place.

          "I know you feel sorry for him."

          "I just wish she'd give him an actual chance. They've been through so much."

          "It must suck having the guy you like hook up with all your friends just to have your parents take his side." Elijah speaks up, leaving the room to get the door, previously knocked on. The gasp he heard was from his mother. How hadn't they seen her cry or hear her mumble about it to friends.

          "He did what?" Alice asks Michael as if he knew anything about what their son had said.

          Elijah comes face to face with Clover, holding up his finger but telling her to come in while he went to check on Ella.

          "Els," Elijah opens her bedroom door to find her ruffled under her covers, eyelids closed. He was glad she was getting sleep, maybe it'd get rid of that racoon mask she had been sporting. He leaves the same way he saw it, not being so unobservant that he didn't notice the Old Dutch chips on the floor by her bed. That made no sense, she hadn't eaten chips in two years, why did she have a bag now?

          "Can I see her?" Clover stood in the foyer of the Peters' residence, leaning her back against the door when he comes back down.

          "I don't think right now is a good time, she hasn't been feeling well so she's sleeping."