Torn (Connections #2)(25)

Shivering, I pull my knees up on one of the chairs and just sit there, trying not to think about Ben, but that's all I can focus on. Remembering my life with him.

Before I know it, I hear pounding on the front door and Aerie is yelling, "Dahlia, are you okay? Why is the door locked?"

I hop off the chair, not even remembering locking the door. As I walk I glance at the old key-shaped holder Caleb rehung after the break-in and Ben's keys are still hanging there. For some reason they make me feel uneasy. As soon as I unlock the door, Aerie swings it open, hurrying past the threshold with coffees and a bag in one hand. She looks almost as disheveled as me, in sweatpants, a T-shirt, her hair in a ponytail, and yoga shoes. I'm surprised because she never goes out looking so un-put together.

Grabbing the coffee tray from her hand I blurt, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Me?" She eyes me up and down once before continuing. "What happened to me?" She drops the bag to the ground and seems unable to talk for a few seconds. "What happened to you? Where have you been? Why are you soaking wet and covered in sand?" Her questions continue but I tune them out, really wanting to sip the hot coffee and strip off these wet clothes. Realizing I don't want to talk about any of it, I almost wish I didn't call her. She takes the tray from my hand and sets it on the floor, then immediately pulls me to her and hugs me as hard as she can. We both stand there, me almost a head taller than her, and I can't help but cry.

She pulls back and looks at me. "I have been worried sick about you. Grace called me at six this morning assuming you were headed to my house. Then as the hours ticked by and you didn't show up we all started to worry." She wipes the tears from my face before wiping her own. When she brushes the sand from her clothes, I can't help but laugh.



       
         
       
        

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get you dirty."

We both laugh and the Aerie I know is back, the take-charge Aerie. "Where have you . . . you know what, let's get you changed first, you're shivering, and we can talk after."

She starts leading me down the hall to my bathroom, like I don't know where I'm going, and I follow her like I need to be led. Once we reach the bathroom she pulls out some sweatpants and a sweatshirt from the bag and lays them on the counter as she starts to unbutton the shirt I have on-River's shirt.

Gently placing my hands over hers, I tell her, "I can do it. I don't need help."

Pushing my hands away she says, "Just let me do it, let me help you." I move my hands and she continues to unbutton the wet shirt. A moment of comfortable silence passes. Then she says in a soft, concerned tone, "I'm sorry, Dahlia. I really am." I know she isn't apologizing for helping me get undressed.

Suddenly it hits me, the last time she did this was when she came to see me the night Ben was killed. I remember now, she removed my black cocktail dress that night because I couldn't. Then she tossed it on the corner chair, where it stayed for a long time. "Aerie, this isn't like then," I pause and motion to where the chair in my bedroom used to sit. "I'm not going to fall apart like I did before. Sure I'm confused, but I know the situation is completely different."

Pulling my arms out of the shirt, I point to the two items on the counter and ask, "Is that all you brought? No underwear?"

Staring at me a little too long she says, "Dahlia, I had no idea why I was bringing you clothes. I didn't think to grab a bra or a pair of panties. Why are you soaking wet anyway?"

"I needed to escape all the chaos so I decided to go for a swim. You know swimming always clears my mind."

"In your clothes, Dahlia? Really?"

"Yes, in my clothes."

"You know that is not normal? Right?"

I shrug.

She shakes her head and takes the shirt from me that I just stripped off. I unhook my bra and throw it in the sink. She stares wide-eyed at the huge purple bruise that seems to have morphed from my side to the front and back of my torso.

"I'm okay, Aerie-really I am. I'm not going to fall off the deep end."

I slip my arms into her USC sweatshirt and pull it over my head. She grabs the hem and pulls it down for me and I let her. Then she pulls my hair out of the hood.

"I think we need to get those tangles out, I'm going to grab a brush out of my purse. I left it in the car. I'll be right back. Will you be okay?" 

"Yeah, of course." And then as she leaves the room I call after her, "Hey, you don't have any toilet paper in your car, do you?"