Daphne Descends

Orlando, Florida
Present day, 2009

The warm Florida sun streamed into Sydney's apartment as she lay in bed watching flecks of dust dance in the beams. Above her head, curled up on the pillow, a small orange kitten lay fast asleep. Reaching up, she gently scratched the feline behind it’s tiny ears. Felix let out a sleepy ‘mew’, stretched his legs, and yawned before proceeding to lick Sydney’s hair.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Sydney giggled as she gingerly pulled Felix around to her and laid him on her chest. Planting a few kisses on the top of his head, Felix quickly fell back to sleep while purring loudly. Sydney glanced over at the alarm clock on her nightstand.

8:00AM

An hour and a half before she had to be at the office. Upon returning home, Sydney had started working for her sister’s wedding planning business doing a bit of everything from being a consultant to acting as Mallory's secretary. Noora was more than thrilled to hire her as a consultant for her wedding, though Sydney insist on planning Noora's wedding as a gift. Ultimately, they decided it would be easier to hire someone in Helsinki; after all, Sydney was already a bridesmaid.

Sydney hadn't had any contact with Ville since the night they broke up and the voicemails he left still sat, untouched, in her phone. Although a year had come and gone, Sydney could not bring herself to listen to them; she couldn't make herself delete them either. "One day" she kept telling herself, she had no idea when "one day" would be though. To be truthful, the situation still had a subtle sting. Perhaps when the sting was gone completely, she would listen to them.

“Come on, buddy.” Sydney groaned as she threw the white quilt off of her and Felix, while clutching him to her chest. Felix stretched again and nodded off in Sydney’s arms as she carried him to the kitchen for breakfast. Flicking through the TV, Sydney stopped on one of the music channels while pouring a bit of food in Felix's bowl. He happily munched away while Sydney poured herself some cereal. As the song Sydney was humming to ended, a familiar voice flooded the living room. One she was dreading to come face to face with again.

Memories, sharp as daggers
Pierce into the flesh of today
Suicide of love took away all that matters
And buried the remains in an unmarked grave in your heart

"I wrote a song about you." Ville smile sheepishly down at his guitar. Her head shot up from the keyboard she was sitting at, her face hot and her cheeks flushed.

"What? Did you really?" Sydney stared at him in disbelief, her heart soaring

He nodded, "Yea, I did. It's uh-actually going to be on the new album." A nervous chuckle escaped him as he tucked his curls behind his ears.

A grin so board it hurt her cheeks spread across Sydney's face, "So do I have to wait until the album is released?"

Ville rose from his chair, he leaned over the keyboard, and kissed her sweetly, "I'm afraid so, kulta."

Sydney groaned quietly, "I don't think that's very fair." Ville smiled against her lips.

"No one said life was fair, baby."



Two weeks before Noora's wedding

"Honey, I really wish you would let one of us go with you." Sydney's mother, Grace, argued as she picked up Felix, who had made a bed for himself out of Sydney's suitcase.

Sydney smiled at her mother's concern as she continued to pack, "Mom, I'll be fine. Noora is picking me up at the airport and I'll be staying with her."

"Yea, but what about after the wedding? Surely, they're going on their honeymoon and you'll be there alone." Grace worried planting several kisses on Felix's head.

"Okay," Sydney sat on the bed, taking her mother's hand, "they're getting married on Saturday. They're leaving on their honeymoon Monday. I'm going to stay in a hotel for two days after the wedding, then I'll be home." Sydney explained in an attempted to calm her nervous mother.

"I still worry about you being there by yourself." Grace badgered as she continued playing with Felix.

"I know." Sydney responded as she returned to her closet.

"Do you think you and Ville will hook up?" Mallory asked as she threw herself on Sydney's bed, eating a handful of roasted peanuts. Grace slapped her in the back of the head. Sydney was already anxious about having to face him again without Mallory asking silly questions.

Sydney glowered at her sister, cocking a perfectly groomed brow, "Have you lost your mind?"

"I'll take that as a 'no.'" Mallory mumbled through a mouthful of peanuts. Sydney rolled her eyes and continued to pack.

"I think you're meant to be together. I think Ville just didn't know what he wanted at the time." Grace explained as she smoothed Mallory's long blonde hair down her back as Felix tried to play with the strands.

"I think we should stop bringing up ancient history. There is nothing between us anymore." Sydney snapped, growing irritated that everyone always felt the need to share their input into the demise of her relationship.

"How do you know that's how he felt at the time? To this day you still have yet to listen to the voicemails he left you." Mallory challenged. Sydney regretted ever saying anything about the voicemails to Mallory; she never let them go.

"Mal, stop please." Sydney whined, pinching the bridge of her nose. Ville was the last person she wanted to think about.

Mallory rose from the bed, and gave in, her hands on her hips, "Fine I'll stop, but you will never know where he truly stands until you listen to them. And I think mom is right, you and Ville are soul mates."

She nagged, giving Sydney the same speech she had heard a thousand times before.

"Thank you, Dr. Phil." Sydney muttered sarcastically as she continued to pack.

"We just want what's best for you!" Mallory called back as she went to the kitchen to get more peanuts.

"Bite me!" Sydney shouted back, rolling her eyes.

Grace gazed at Sydney with a sly grin, "Syd?"

"Hmm?" She answered.

"I know you still love him." Grace whispered. Sydney stopped in her tracks, staring at her mother like a deer in headlights.

"You can't hide that from me. A mother knows." She claimed. Sydney's cheeks flushed, her face on fire while a chill ran through her body.

"Mom, why can't I get over him?" She whimpered. Grace pat the space beside her on the bed and Sydney ambled over and plopped down beside her.

Grace answered, "Because I don't think you are meant to get over him. Syd, sometimes, we let go of the things or people we are meant to keep; and those things or people always have a way of coming back to us. No matter how much time has passed and I think that Ville is the one."

Sydney shook her head, "I don't think so. We just-we outgrew each other. His words, not mine. I have to say I agree though." she explained.

Tucking a loose strand of hair behind Sydney's ear, Grace continued, "I have to disagree. I just can't imagine that Ville's passion about you is completely burned out." Sydney scoffed.

"I know she irritates you, but your sister is right. You'll never truly know where Ville stands until you listen to those messages." She advised.

"That's the thing. I do know exactly where he stands." Sydney thought to herself.