Through highs & lows

Through Highs and lows: Chapter 64

"So how old are you guys?"  The lady asks. "Seventeen." I answer. "Oh my God. Colby it's gonna be your birthday in less than a month." I say in realization. I tilt my head up and look at him when I say it, because I didn't want to move from in front of him. "Mhm." He smiles, looking back at me. "Do you have any plans?" I ask him, while swaying in his arms.  "Nope. Nothing besides getting you na..." I nudge him and motion to the old lady. He makes a goofy face, and I just laugh. "I love you." I say, before facing forward again and leaning the back of head on his chest. "I love you too." He says, kissing the top of my head. "You know when I was young around your age, my late husband and I would come to a hotel like this." She says. "Oh that's really sweet." I smile, not really knowing what else to say. "Yeah. Today would have been our fifty-second anniversary." She says. "Oh. I'm sorry for you loss." I say. "It's okay. I know I'll see him soon." She says. The elevator becomes awkwardly silent.  "Oh uh? I hope not to soon." Colby awkwardly says. The old lady laughs. "Believe me. There's nothing more for me to experience here. I've been around long enough." She smiles. "Well I'm sure there's something you want to do, before you know... passing away." I say. "There is one thing I wish I could do, but it's too late for that." She says. "What is it?" Colby asks. "I wanted to forgive my daughter. I never got to. She passed away a few months ago from Cancer. She didn't tell me she had it. We hadn't talked in years." The lady says. I notice her eyes become glossy as tears start to fall. The elevator becomes extremely quiet and I hear a small quiet sob come from her, as she covers her mouth. I start to step forward, but I feel Colby pull me back. He gives me some kind of look, but I didn't care. I pulled away and walked over to the lady. "It's okay. You can still forgive her you know." I say grabbing her fragile old hand. "What?" She asks. She wipes the tears with her other hand and looks at me. I look back to Colby, whose giving me a sympathetic look, then back to the lady. "You can forgive her." I say. Her eyes are still glossy and I know she could start crying any moment. "It's too late. She already passed." The lady says, with a dry sob. My heart breaks, looking at her, let alone hearing how broken she sounds. I've never seen this woman in my life, but looking at how fragile and broken she is kills me. "Do you want to forgive her?" I ask the old lady. She nods her head. "Um was she buried around here?" I ask in a sorry tone. "Yeah she was buried at the cemetery two blocks from her." She says, in almost a whisper. The elevator rings, for Colby and I to leave, but I don't move. "We can take you. You can forgive her there." I say. "Oh no. It's okay. I don't think it'll work. I don't want to put you guys through all that trouble." She says, while sniffling. I hear Colby finally say something. "It's really not a problem. Believe me this is more important." He says. I snap my head, looking back at him, as a small smile appears on my face. He just shrugs. "Okay." I hear, the lady whisper, causing me to look back at her. "You want to go?" I ask. "I should try right?" She says. I nod my head. Colby presses the button to the first floor. I put out my open hand for Colby to come grab. He takes a few steps closer, grabbing my hand. I pull him right next to me and lean my head on his arm. He lightly laughs, accepting it. We stand there in silence until the elevator gets to the bottom floor. It dings and we all walk out. We lead the old lady to Colby's car. I realize this whole time I haven't even caught her name. I ask her, as we get to the parking lot. She tells me her name is Rose. "Wow. That name really suites you." I lightly laugh, as I opens the door to the back seat. I see the box of condoms sitting on one of the seats though. I quickly lean over and grab it, throwing it to the front, before letting her get in. I guess Colby noticed, because I heard a low chuckle from him, as he walked over to the driver seat. I let Rose get in and closed the door behind her, before getting in the passenger seat.