21.

21.

 

  “I thought maybe I would hear from her today.” Parrish told Ruby. It was the morning of her twenty-first birthday. Fresh out of the shower, Parrish unwrapped herself from her yellow towel and dried off her wet body. Ruby sat on Parrish’s bed, holding Pearl.

     “I know you wanted a happy birthday from her, but you know it’s better that she didn’t call.” Ruby told her. “It would only make things more complicated and give you false hope. This is for the best.”

     Parrish nodded. “Maybe you’re right.” She said. “But still… I feel like… I don’t even remember what her voice sounds like anymore.”

     “Maybe that’s for the best, too, Pear.”

     Parrish shot Ruby a sort of wounded-look as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

     “I just think… Gemini is quickly drifting into your past. And I think that’s because… that’s where she’s supposed to be.”

     “You know I can’t believe that, Ruby.”

     “Yes, you can… and you need to.” Ruby told her. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for what she was about to tell her. “She’s �" she’s gone, Parrish. Ya gotta let it go… ‘cause… she’s not coming back.”

     Dressed in her underclothes, Parrish laid her towel on the bed and gripped tight. She let her head hang down and closed her eyes. She lifted her head, fixed her brown, tear-filled eyes on Ruby’s and began to cry. Gasping for air, she put her head down, again, sobbing.

     Ruby put her hand over Parrish’s and held onto it. Although she could feel the tears building up in her chest and throat, Ruby did not let a single tear fall. She knew that if anything, she needed to be strong for Parrish the way Parrish had always been strong for her.

     “We are going to get through this, you and me.”

     “Since when is my love life your problem?” Parrish asked, bitterly. “Or my lack of a love life.”

     Ruby put her other hand on Parrish’s and answered, “Since you became the father of my child.”

     Parrish looked again at Ruby, holding her lips tightly together, trying to restrain but she couldn’t. Suddenly, before she could hold it back, Parrish laughed; uncontrollably, undeniably and without any definite reason in the world. She threw her head back in amusement, holding her stomach to try and condense some the pain from the deep hilarity in her diaphragm.

     She wasn’t sure if it was the small joke her best friend had made or if it was all of the happiness that had been absent for the past two months finally breaking free. Whatever the reason was, Parrish suddenly felt two months of sadness lighter and thirty seconds of laughter and optimism heavier.

     She knew she had memories of Gemini, a past love in her present life that may follow her forever. She also knew she had memories of a present love, Levity, who belonged in her past and she hoped wouldn’t follow her any further. But in that moment, Parrish smiled and forgot about the two women who, in two different ways, changed so many things about her.

     While wrapping her towel around her head to dry her hair, Parrish received a text. She and Ruby looked at each other, then at her cell phone sitting on the dresser. Parrish picked up the cell phone and opened the message. Blocking out everything around her, she read Levi’s words in her head.

     “Happy 21^st Birthday, sugar.” It read. “I miss you.”

     Parrish felt a sour feeling in her stomach, but she didn’t let it get the best of her.

     “Problem?” Ruby asked Parrish who was still looking at her phone.

     Parrish optimistically responded, “Nope.”

     Ruby, still concerned, stayed silent.

     “Let’s walk and get ice-cream from Paolo’s; start this birthday off the right way.” Parrish suggested, smiling. “We can break in baby’s new stroller!” She smiled and gave Pearl an Eskimo kiss.

     Ruby smiled big. “Perfect! I’ve so been craving gelato all week.”

     Ruby left the room to grab the baby stroller. “We’ll meet you downstairs.” She told Parrish from the hallway.

     “Okay!” Parrish answered, dressing herself in a yellow t-shirt and blue jeans. She slipped on a pair of flip-flops, grabbed her purse and her phone. When she left her room, Parrish deleted the message and Levi’s number. If she truly was a feather, it was time she started flying like one.

The End.