Her Melody

Act 2

Overnight, I pray it doesn't rain- and I let out a relieved sigh as I open the blinds to meet a sunny, blue, sky. 

I walk to my mirror, eyeing the reflection of myself, but reach for the comb to flatten the standing strands. They're obvious- too obvious.

A melody hums itself on my lips as I leave my apartment. I check my phone for notifications, readily prepared to take a short walk around before I met up with Lyric. 

A little kid bikes past me- he laughed as his friend chased him. A couple exits the building a few doors down- but I turn the other direction, humming, singing, reaching the railing that shows me the other side. And there I stand, elbows set and head tucked into my hand. The bustle across has seemingly become brighter overnight- yet, this time, it's daytime.

"Wasn't expecting you here, Thana." 

I whip around. "Lyric." The relief in my voice shines and I press my lips together to hide it, "Same here."

She steps to my side as we both gaze upon the city. "I suppose it saves us some time, anyway."

We stand in silence. I wonder if she'll say anything. Wonder if we'll start walking.

"Have you been there?" She finally says. Her voice is nearly a whisper, and I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear with a wistful smile touching my face.

"No. How about you?"

"I have, actually. Do you want to?" Soon I'm facing across again. Tracing the ups and downs of the city. Counting the windows.

"If I say yes, what would you say?"

She shakes her head in response, inching away down the path. "Good for you, I guess?"

"What's over there?" 

Her hand beckons for me to join her and follow. "Anything you can imagine."

Curiously, I jog up to meet her pace. "What does that mean?" I ask lightly. Lyric's eyebrows rigidly twitch. 

"It's like a young tune, the quiet upstart of a unsteady beat or maybe humming a song." Lyric hums, her voice accentuating the ups and downs in a familiar melody. I pause, my eyebrows scrunched in a feeble attempt to decode her words. My struggle must have been clear, as she adds, "It really is a fascinating place. Lovely, inspiring, fulfilling."

"Really," I say, scratching my elbow. "So, I should want to go."

A pause lingers before she shakes her head.

"I wouldn't quite wish for that to be true."

***
Lyric and I walked around, pointing out the sights and often stopping to admire the city. We didn't say much more about it, but her words never left my head.

We set up times to meet up each week- Every Monday evening, Wednesday afternoon, and Saturday morning. We wave as we cross paths in familiar areas but our conversations stick to our designated meet up times. 

A few months pass and I realize how close we've become. We've done much more than I've done with my family in the past year- we can sense our personalities from miles away. No bridge can stand in our way, until I say goodbye on a Monday, only to find a letter set at my feet.

"Open it tomorrow." Lyric says, quiet, but she mutters nothing else as she lifts her hand with a short goodbye. I lean down and gingerly pluck it off the ground. As we part, I wonder what it's about.

I set the note on my coffee table, along with a coffee I brewed so I can finish up some work I have. I'll open it, tomorrow, like Lyric said. 

My hand reaches to open my computer but it lingers on the note for just a little longer.

Open it tomorrow, Thana.