—Bree
I would smile if I did that sort of thing.
Instead, I peel back the plastic and pluck a yellow, miniature loaf from the platter, eating half of it in one bite. I turn around, glancing at my dog from across the room as I chew, his melancholy eyes staring back at me while his chin rests between two paws. Swallowing down the cake, I reach for a red ball sitting atop the adjacent counter and toss it up and down with one hand, my attention still on Walden.
I approach him, crossing into the living room, then crouch down and throw him the ball.
He just stares at it, unmoving.
I try again with the same result.
Nothing.
Totally unimpressed.
The ball rolls right up to his wet nose, but Walden ignores it, his only reaction being a long, heavy sigh. Annoyance, maybe. He probably thinks I’m a fucking idiot, tossing him this pathetic toy like it’s supposed to be exciting or something.
My dog looks at the red ball like I look at life.
My chest hums with resignation, and I abandon the ball and straighten my stance. I debate whether I want to finish the custom dining table I have partially assembled under the carport while there’s still daylight, considering it’s due to be delivered to a client in less than a week, but I’m honestly not feeling it right now. I kind of just want to go to bed.
It’s my favorite part of the day.
As I make up my mind and choose the latter, I can’t help but glance over at my open laptop before I disappear down the hallway. I have a new e-mail notification, and I already know who it’s from.
Magnolia.
The wilting widow who I found myself responding to one night when sleep wouldn’t come, my demons were aggressive, and an anonymous outlet sounded strangely appealing.
After years and years of unsuccessful therapy, a slew of doctors who considered me a lost cause, and no one, literally no one aside from Bree to care whether or not I took my next breath, this nameless, faceless stranger called to me somehow.
While I couldn’t relate to her grief, I could relate to her loneliness, so I finally wrote her back. And I actually slept that night.
I pause my steps, hesitating between the edge of the living room and the hallway, palm massaging the nape of my neck.
Fuck it.
A moment later, I’m seated in my computer chair, opening up the e-mail, my eyes scanning over the stranger’s words.
from:
Magnolia
to:
date:
Apr 18, 2021, 2:33 PM
subject:
Serendipity
Zephyr,
Do you believe in perfect timing? Fate? Aligned stars, serendipity, meant-to-be?
I didn’t think I’d ever hear from you, and here you are.
Right at the perfect time.
So, now I have to wonder. I have to consider the possibility that maybe we are not alone in this. Maybe there’s something else out there calling the shots, like some kind of mystical mediator.
Silly, right?
Probably.
But it gave me a real smile, and that’s something I haven’t done in a while.
Thank you.