HARMONY IN BLOOM

Chapter-3

It’s been two months since Erin’s birthday. It’s also been two months since I gave my number to Keith. And I am definitely not the type to text first.

I noticed that it’s been a while since Erin and I last spoke. It’s been a hell lot of week.  She’s been on holiday, enjoying some well-deserved time off from managing my chaotic life. So when I see Keith’s name pop up on my phone screen, I can’t help but feel a surge of nerves.

His text is simple yet filled with underlying anticipation:
Keith: Hey Sienna, would you like to have dinner tonight? There’s this new place I’ve been dying to try out. Let me know if you’re up for it.
My heart is pounding in my chest as I read his message, uncertainty gnawing at the edges of my mind.

Should I accept?

Should I decline?

The questions swirl in my head like a whirlwind, leaving me feeling dizzy and disoriented. Why is he making me feel like this?

Without hesitation, I dial Erin’s number, my fingers trembling as I wait for her to pick up. At this point, I don’t care that she’s on a holiday, she my best friend and best friends don’t need a reason to call each other right.
When she finally answers, her voice is warm and welcoming, a comforting presence in the midst of my turmoil. I immediately sigh.

“Sienna, hey! It’s been a while since we last talked,” Erin says, her tone filled with genuine concern.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” I reply, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “I’ve just been…busy. It’s hard with you not being here. I’ll raise your salary for sure. ” I say trying to keep things friendly.

She chuckles  and says, “Oh yeah?”

There’s a brief pause on the other end of the line, as if Erin senses the storm brewing beneath the surface. “Is everything okay?” she asks, her concern evident in her voice.
I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what’s to come. “Erin, I need your advice,” I say finally, the words tumbling out in a rush.

“It’s about Keith.”

Erin listens patiently as I spill out my fears and insecurities, confessing my doubts about Keith and our weird relationship. I tell her about his unexpected text message, about how I gave him my nbut never texted him. I say my heart out. I tell her about the uncertainty swirling within me like a storm on the outlook..

“I don’t know what to do, Erin,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m scared that he’ll see me for who I really am, and he won’t want anything to do with me.”

There’s a soft sigh on the other end of the line, followed by Erin’s reassuring voice. “Sienna, listen to me,” she says gently.

“You are beautiful, inside and out. And if Keith can’t see that, then he doesn’t deserve you. No one’s beauty is decided by whether she has hair on her head or not. But, it’s your choice whether you want to tell that to him right now and get an assurance, or maybe tell him later and think for the best then.”

Her words send a surge of warmth through me, banishing the doubts and fears that have plagued me for so long. With Erin’s encouragement ringing in my ears, I make a decision. I’ll go to dinner with Keith, and I’ll lay my cards on the table.

No more hiding, no more pretending to be someone I’m not. If he can’t accept me for who I am, then it’s better to know now than to waste any more time on him.

••••

After our conversation, I text Keith, my fingers trembling with anticipation as I hit send.