We Lucky Few

A clash of two worlds

I stared at her tear-filled eyes and the trembling lip she had pressed between her teeth in utter, world-stopping shock.

"Darlene?"

What was she doing here? Why? How?

My gaze flew over her light blonde hair, her impeccable white linen pants and her matching, spotless beige blouse, then drifted briefly to the large suitcase that stood behind her on the landing like an atrocious monument. I shuddered.

"James, I-" Her voice broke as tears trailed down her cheeks and I frowned.

"What are you doing here, Darlene?" I couldn't keep the hurt out of my voice.

"I- I miss you."

My eyebrows shot up at that. "You can't just show up here, Darlene. What's with the luggage?"

Her ocean blue eyes drifted to her suitcase and back to me with a look of embarrassed uncertainty.

"I kind of thought I could stay here for a while, with you." Her voice rose up into an almost question at the end. She bit her lip again and clenched her hands tightly.

What?

"Darlene... You can't just show up here. What do you even want here? We broke up almost a year ago."

"I'm so sorry, James. I should've told you, I should've-"

Calliope's apartment door opened and she stepped out, guitar case in hand. She turned around and froze. Her eyes jumped from the suitcase, to Darlene and over to me in rapid succession, until they finally came to rest on mine and she must have seen my fear written in them clearly because her brows furrowed.

"Cal."

"James." She looked back towards the suitcase, then up at Darlene. "And you must be Darlene."

Perceptive as ever.

Darlene turned towards her fully and stretched her hand out with a teary smile. "I am. You've heard about me?" Her voice sounded hopeful.

Calliope shot me a fleeting glance, then smiled at Darlene. "I have."

I stood in the doorway and felt as if I was in some kind of parallel universe. The fear that coursed through me was paralyzing. I felt my heart thump in my chest and heard it in my ears. Darlene brought with her a rush of memories that unbalanced me and scared me to the core. I was plunged back into my last days with her, and every wound was as raw and intense as if it had happened only yesterday. The hurt, the betrayal, the disappointment. And suddenly Darlene and Calliope were one and the same: capable of hurting me in the worst ways. My mind and my heart scrambled to get away from the situation.

"So, what are you doing here, Darlene?" Calliope's voice was soft and her gaze hadn't left me. The look in her eyes shone with hurt, but I could also detect understanding.

I didn't think Callie had it right, whatever she was thinking, but I couldn't speak. I could barely breathe.

Darlene laughed through her tears. "I'm sorry if we've made a ruckus on your doorstep. I'm going to stay here for a while."

Calliope's eyes shot towards Darlene's for the first time since their interaction. Her words cut through me and bounced around inside my head until they were all I could think of.

Stay here for a while.

My apprehension and my refusal were intense, but still no words would leave my mouth.

"Is that so?" Calliope asked and Darlene's smile widened as she nodded.

Then I saw Callie's eyes shut down. It was as if a curtain had descended over them, as she nodded slowly and set her jaw.