Brooke
I put on the nicest clothes I could manage. Brushed my hair into a bun, even managed to put on some mascara. For the first time in weeks, a nice, hot shower and non-pajama clothes made me feel a little bit better. Not happier. Just cleaner?
I wondered who would be here.
I walked over to my closet and picked up Kyle's sweater, holding it close to my face and taking in the smell of his Dolce & Gabbana sport cologne. It was his favorite. It was mine too.
"Kyle..." I felt the tears building up behind my lashes.
"Please be okay. I love you so much."
I looked down at my hand. I was still wearing his ring. It was a promise for forever. But where was forever right now? Did we jinx ourselves?
After a few minutes, I decided that I didn't want to cry so much anymore. That I would try not to for Chad.
I hung Kyle's sweater back up & walked down the stairs, reminiscing all the times Kyle had been there waiting for me. Once I finally made it down, I heard laughter coming from the living room. I walked over and found my brother speaking to some woman. Who was she and why was she in the house? She was a little, tiny Hispanic woman. She had dark hair, dark eyes, and a smile that warmed my cold heart.
"Brooke! You're here!" Chad sounded surprised. As though he was completely confident I would never come.
"This is Mrs. Smith. She would like to talk to you." Mrs. Smith? Smith? She was an obviously Spanish woman with the last name Smith? I looked over at her hands immediately and grazed them with my eyes until to my relief, I saw a wedding ring. At least I know knew that she wasn't interested in my brother.
"Hi." Was all I said. My throat was raspy and sore.
"Hello sweetie! You are so beautiful, just like Chad said you were. As he already said, my name is Mrs. Smith and I would like to talk to you for a little bit. Is that alright with you?"
I looked over at Chad who's eyes were hopeful and proud. I nodded.
"Oh wonderful! Okay, come, sit. We can start any time you're ready." She said. With that, Chad left the room.
"So. Tell me a little bit of what's going on. I understand you lost your boyfriend. Is that true?" She asked.
What was left of my heart sank instantly. I knew he was gone, but hearing it from someone else made it something that even through his funeral, it never really felt. It made it real.
I looked down and nodded slowly. Holding back the hurricane in my eyes. She looked at me warmly and patted my back. "I know it hurts, honey. We're gonna get through this, okay? Together. I just need you to trust me. Do you think you could do that?" She looked at me with eyes that held wisdom and hope for the future. And although everything in my brain was screaming at me to say no, run away, tell her she knows nothing about me, my heart whispered "give it a try". I was so tired of the word no and everything it held.
So I nodded. And for once in a long time, I let someone else help me with my grieving.
