Happily Never After Could Happen to Us

T.J

Rosie had been gone for a while, and the house seemed too quiet without her. I couldn’t help but to miss her and especially my father. I remembered times when he would talk me through almost anything, and now he’s not here to talk me through losing my little girl. I sighed absently as I sat at the kitchen table sipping on my coffee. I had no idea as to why I decided to make coffee before dinner, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

The door bell rang signaling that someone was waiting to be let in, and also pulling me from my depressing thoughts. I had almost forgotten that tonight was Friday, and also my weekly dinner with Lydia. I always wondered why she had picked Fridays to go out, but it did give me something to look forward to every week. I answered the door with the best smile I could muster, and I’m positive it looked fake.

Lydia shot me a reassuring smile as she walked into the house. She didn’t say anything for a moment; she simply stared at me for a long while. I took her coat and hung it in the coat closet before going back to the kitchen. I sat down beside my coffee cup as she entered the room.

“T.J, you look like hell,” Lydia stated as she sat down across from me. I sighed as I turned my gaze back towards her. Her natural dark red hair was curled slightly at the ends and her clear blue eyes seemed to hold a tiredness that could only come from working. I smiled a more genuine smile before I looked towards the floor.

“So do you,” I retorted as I took a long sip of my hot coffee.

“Yeah, but I have a reason,” Lydia stated bluntly. I nodded my head as I looked at her once again. I never noticed how beautiful she was, and I almost laughed at my own thoughts because I had known here for thirty years.

“I have my reasons too, but I think your reason made you need a shower,” I said. I tried to hold the cocky tone from my voice, but when telling someone they look like they need a shower you just can’t help it, unless you tell them they stink. I was definitely not going to tell Lydia she smelled bad.

She looked shiny from sweat, and her hair was a bit greasy. Her make-up was smeared, and she seemed a little tense. She shot me a look full of daggers, and I smiled brightly at her. She sighed loudly before she stood up from her chair. “Fine, I’ll shower before dinner. Will Rosie’s clothes fit me,” she asked absently.

“Um, I’m sure we could find you something. You’re as thin as a freaking rail, so most of her clothes are probably too big,” I laughed as she glared at me.

“Whatever, I’m going to use your bathroom,” she stated as she waltzed through the house as if she owned the place. She always did that, no matter where she was she always walked around looking like she owned the whole world. I shook away the thoughts from my head as I walked towards Rosie’s room which happened to be next to mine.

I opened the door and two scents hit me. Lavender and rose petals were Rosie’s favorite scents in the world, and they tainted her entire room. I sighed as I walked towards her closet. It was extremely hard not to miss her, but she wasn’t my little girl anymore; hell, she wasn’t my little girl to begin with.

I grabbed a pair of jeans that Rosie said was too small for her and a random shirt from the closet. Those would have to do for Lydia for now because that’s all I had. I walked into my room and started to place the clothes on the bed when I heard the door knob turning. Without thinking I turned and there stood a dripping Lydia wearing only a very small towel. I felt my eyes grow wide with shock as I tried to force my eyes away from her, but I couldn’t turn them. She rolled her eyes as she came towards me and yanked the clothes out of my hands before walking back towards the bathroom.

“What just happened,” I whispered to myself as I left my bed room. I had never frozen like that, and besides that was Lydia. She was supposed to be a really good friend to me. I guess all that time she was trying to get to me must have worked. I sighed loudly as I walked outside to get some fresh air. The only thing on my mind, and I desperately wanted it off, was Lydia.