One With Nature

"Why don't you go sit on the back porch? It's beautiful outside this time of day. The sun is almost setting and I can feel the cool air through the window." Nadine said beaming from ear to ear. She was certain that this would cure Suri's current funk. No one could continue to sulk in the midst of such a beautiful day. Even the most stoic of personalities would find reason to smile when nature welcomes you with open arms. She sat in her dark suede armchair blissfully sipping a cup of tea awaiting Suri's reply.

Suri looked off to the side as a lump gathered in her throat. She had been avoiding this moment since she moved in. Nadine had no idea what vast amounts of invisible baggage lie on that back porch. She had no idea that Suri had left a chuck of her heart on that porch to dry up and wither away  in the sun the day that she found out Tyson was married. She wanted that part of herself to die a slow and silently painful death with no witnesses.
She tried desperately not to show her discomfort with the seemingly harmless suggestion. Glancing back in Nadine's direction she smiled politely and said "Sure. I'll go outside for a moment."
The walk from the living room to the back patio seemed to be the longest walk of her life. Flashbacks of that night flooded her mind and she began to feel queasy. She could hear her feet heavily thumping against the tile with every step, but she mustered up the courage to go on. She now stood in front of the patio doors. The glass door glared and slightly stung her eyes- she squinted to get a better look. Placing her hand against the glass she peered closer and studied the bark of the oak tree that lie in the middle of the yard. It was a testament to stability in a world of chaos. She longed to be like that tree- unmoved by the world around her or the mistakes of her past.

She slid the door open and walked outside. She stood on the grass- her bare feet wiggling between the lush green blades. The soft breeze licked her face and a feeling of calm enveloped her body. She knew this place. She loved this place. This backyard held the final resting place of her lust, her passion for what was an effervescent love affair. There was more sweetness to her memories of that night than bitter, so she smiled softly to herself as she recalled their night together. She rubbed her belly and was surprised at how quickly it had ballooned- it had begun to take on a personality all its own. She felt a kick and chuckled softly at the small miracle of life. She then grew somber at the thought that the child inside of her will never know its father. She took a deep breath, sighed heavily, and whispered to the wind "make it all alright."

Her thoughts were interrupted when something flickered in her peripheral view. She looked to the right and beside the bushes a piece of red material stood out. She wondered what such an obvious spot of red was doing in the midst of such greenery. She walked closer and saw that it was a shoe- two shoes. In fact, they were her shoes. Her red sequin  pumps that she assumed to be long gone were here all along? Had she left them here that night in a drunken haze? She laughed at herself for not remembering how she got home that night missing a very expensive pair of heels. She then placed both feet inside of the shoes and clicked her heels together smiling giddily.

Nadine looked at her through the kitchen window. The breeze felt cold to her and caused her hairs to stand on end. She wondered where those shoes came from....