Skeletons

My key slid into the lock as easily as it always has, the loud click resonating through my skull before I removed the piece of metal from the hole and placed it back in my pocket. The door opened with a quick squeak of the hinges before gently knocking against the wall. The place smelt like honey and vanilla, a smell I was well associated with by now as I dragged my suitcase in behind me. “Alex?” A loud thump sounded from the bedroom followed by a shuffling noise and muttered words.

“Gracie! I thought you weren’t, uh, due back for another day?” He reached up to scratch the back of his head, pulling his bottom lip in between his teeth.

“I’m not, but I wanted to surprise you, the trip was cut short.” He nods understandingly before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around my waist, I melt into him, my body melding into his shape as I wrap my arms around his neck loosely.

He pecks my lips quickly, a fleeting moment of intimacy before he retracts and looks me in the eyes. “I missed you Gracie, so much, I’m so glad you’re home. I have a gift for you.” He grasps my hand loosely in his and leads me towards the bedroom. I temporarily think about pulling away, grabbing my suitcase and leaving again, I don’t want to know what he has in our bedroom; but I don’t.

Stepping through the doorway and into the room I’m hit with the smell of honey and vanilla again, only this time stronger.

A gasp escapes my lips, my eyes welling with tears, my hands beginning to shake. I feel my knees wobble, and grasp onto his arm before I can collapse on the ground. There’s a woman sitting on the bed, a vibrant red smile stretched across her face as her eyes fall upon me. She stands, taller than me, at about 5 ft 7 inches, she steps forward and before I can process she sweeps me into her arms; the smell of honey and vanilla now overwhelming my senses. I feel the tears overflow and stream down my cheeks, the sobs rise in my throat before I can’t hold them back any longer.

Sobs turn to hiccups, my face gets blotchy and I bury it in her shoulder, my hands moving to clasp at her back, attempting to ascertain the reality of her standing in front of me.

“Grace, stop crying so much, you’re going to ruin my shirt with your make up.” I can hear the hint of humour in her voice, the familiar sound of teasing as I finally pull back. My eyes lift to scour her face, drinking in every inch of skin, all the way to the familiar blue green eyes staring back at me. She chuckles, “Grace, you can stop crying, calm down.”

Her voice soothes me, the tears finally stop but the hiccups resume, each one shaking my fragile body as I finally let her go and move towards the bed, sinking onto the soft surface. “W- uh, how long have you been planning this?” I glance at Alex in question, my eyes scanning the contours of his face before settling on his own pair of dark brown eyes.

He scratches his head again, this time in thought. “Well, I found her about two months before you left for your business trip, she's been around a few times while you were away,” that explains the smell of honey and vanilla in the apartment. “But we set it up for tomorrow, it wasn’t going to happen here, although I also didn’t think you would quite lose your composure like that.” He steps forward hesitantly, kneeling in front of where I’m sitting on the bed.

I smile, not a crazy wide smile, just a smile joyful smile as I reach out to place my hands on his cheeks and lean forward to rest my forehead against his. I giggle quietly, “and here I was worried that you were cheating on me,” I feel so guilty for doubting him.

His eyes gloss over momentarily, his smile drooping slightly but remaining on his face, his hands reach up to cover mine. “I would never cheat on you,” his voice is insistent, his gaze staring firmly into mine.

I nod in understanding, “I know you wouldn’t, I never really believed it, but I smelt the honey and vanilla and my brain jumped to all sorts of assumptions, I don’t smell like that.”

A voice clears behind us and my eyes jump back up to the woman, a real smile forces the corners of my mouth upwards and my lips to part. Alex pulls away and stands before offering me his hand and helping me up. “How did you find her?” I pause, glancing back, “where did you find her?”

“Isabella was living overseas, in New Zealand, Auckland to be precise. She was more than happy to jump on a plane when I contacted her.” I look at Alex in disbelief, my eyes wide.

“New Zealand?” My voice sounds incredulous, “what would you want to move to New Zealand for?” I don’t understand why I was questioning it, I used to dream about living in New Zealand.

She chuckles under her breath, “Oh, Grace, you haven’t changed a bit.”

“That’s alright, you’ve changed enough for the both of us,” I murmur, biting back the urge to say something I could regret. The initial shock has finally worn off and all I’m left with is the bitterness that came when she left the first time.

Her face drops, she can tell that the joy was fleeting, that she was about to deal with the repercussions of her decision to leave. “Oh Grace, I’m sorry for leaving, I-“

“You didn’t tell anyone, you didn’t say anything. It’s been nine years!” I cut her off, a biting edge to my tone as I glance away. My mind is fighting between the joy I want to feel and the pain that I thought I dealt with years ago.

“I couldn’t stay.”

I glare at her “you promised you would protect me, when Jonathan died, you promised you would be there for me, to save me from him, but you lied.” I choke up, my throat tightening and my mind reeling with all the painful memories I buried.

“I,” she pauses, swallowing back her emotions “I’m sorry, I couldn't; I had to go.”

I glance towards Alex, he has wide eyes and a look of confusion as he glances between the two of us. “I almost wish you had been cheating,” that’s the last thing I say before I turn tail and run, grabbing my handbag on the way out. It’s not until I get out of the small house and behind the wheel of my car that the tears start to roll down my cheeks again.

I don’t wait for the tears to stop though, I don’t wait for either of them to catch me and make me stay. The engine turns over with a quiet grumble and I put the car in reverse, backing out of the driveway just in time to see Alex step out of the front door a question on his lips, and worry in his eyes.

I can’t stop and tell him where I’m going, I can’t risk him coming after me.

This isn't something I can sort out with his help, and I don’t hold anything against him, he couldn't have known how I feel about this.

Twenty minutes later and I pull into the parking lot of a high rise building in Sheffield, my heart is still hammering in my chest as I shut off the engine and get out of the car. I hoist my handbag onto my shoulder before closing the door and locking it behind me.

I’m blasted with a warm rush of air as I step into the foyer of the building. My tears have stopped, my face dried up long before I arrived, but I press the button for the elevator before standing back, staring at the floor number in anticipation as I watch it drop. The doors open with a ding and I’m face to face with just who I came to see. His brief case is held tightly in his right hand, his class ring digging into the leather of the handle as he steps out of the metal box. “Grace.” He nods in greeting.

I fail to muster a smile in return as he steps away from the elevator doors to allow the people around us to get on, and it doesn't take long for the doors to close and the two of us to be left alone. He doesn't say a word, but using the briefcase motions towards the chairs set up to the left of the lobby, across from the receptionist desk. I follow his direction and sit on one of the chairs.

“I’m sorry, I know you must be in a rush the work day is finally over but I needed to talk to someone,” I bite my lip, staring up at him through my lashes as my heart pounds in my chest.

He nods again, placing his briefcase on the table before turning his body towards me and motioning for me to continue. “I got home a day early from my business trip,” he nods acknowledging my statement. I flounder for a moment, sucking in a breath and trying to decide how to word this, it all comes out in a blur, the words melting together “Alexfoundmysister.”