Best Woman

Annabelle was juggling her grocery bag in one hand as she struggled with her keys to open her front door.

She moved out two months ago, finally – she and her father sat down and talked about it and Annabelle made the executive decision to move out, conviently nearer Leo and she and him were getting along better.

Leo lent her some money for the studio apartment she now lived in and ran her business. She was doing well, scraping by in financial terms, but she was enjoying it. She was living.

She regretted her decision that day to not attend his wedding, now forever wondering how it went, how he said “I do.”

How they kissed.

In a way, out of guilt, Annabelle loved to torture herself about Evan and Ellie. She felt like she needed to survive. Most days she ignored her thoughts of him, but every now and then he would pop up.

She missed him. A lot.

But deep down, Annabelle knew how she needed to let him go before she got in too deep, before she was disappointed before she was “left at the altar” so to speak as Evan walked away from her, with her own heart in his palm, while holding Ellie’s hand in his other hand.

As the door unlocked, and she kicked it closed behind her, she shuffled into the kitchen and dumped the bag on the kitchen counter, and went to the phone and pressed the messages button.

It introduced itself and finally said: “You have three new messages.” Annabelle wasn’t fazed, it was most likely new clients interested in her work.

“Hi Annie, it’s Faye – just checking we’re still on for dinner tomorrow night? Hope you’re okay honey!” The machine bleeped, and Annabelle smiled.

She and Faye had become close friends, and she had truly helped her through her heartbreak. Leo too has been the rock she needed.

The next message: “Hi Miss Jacobs…” Annabelle skipped the message for later, a client for work.

Finally, the message bleeped for the final message: “…Um Hi Annie..” his voice came through and Annabelle froze, staring at the machine.

“I feel such an idiot…feels like I’m calling a stranger.” He continued.

Annabelle’s heart thudded further as he finished: “I really miss you, Annie…give me a call.” And like that, he hung up.

The bleep went and Annabelle just blinked, unsure what to do. She sighed softly, and moved away from the machine, from temptation and put her shopping away.

After she retreated to her studio, and switched on her computer, seeing a picture of her and Evan on Christmas, Leo had took it. It was a caught in action one.

They were in the kitchen, Evan towering over her, as always, grinning and looking at her gently,
Annabelle looking to the ground, clutching her wine glass, a secretive smile on her face. She could see on her own face how much she adored him.

She just couldn’t find his adoration for her.

That night Evan had asked Annabelle to be his “best woman” and Annabelle felt ashamed knowing she hadn’t done that, she double-clicked onto her folders and began to organise her files and began to print and pack her images.