A Hard Goodbye
A Hard Goodbye
There was something weird about wearing a thin top in the middle of June. The thought brought no support against the chill assaulting her, broken only by the warmest touch there could ever be. It belonged to Anathi, the perfect woman.
How did one describe Anathi? It was a nightmare. Tall, for a girl. Beautiful, shockingly thin but at the same time packing curves unfair to the rest of the world. The only drawback was the ease with which she could be crushed in Nandi’s arms. The crystal girl was lifted, toes dangling as she groaned, laughing the whole time.
Right then, the perfection was warped by the tears in Nathi’s eyes. There was an awkward cough from behind and they parted, Nandi wiping Anathi’s tears from her cheeks with a gentle touch.
“You don’t have to do this.” Anathi breathed.
“I have to or all I’ve fought for is pointless. I won’t be able to come back. You get that, right?”
Nandi cupped her face in her hands, giving Anathi a look.
Nandi wasn’t tall for a girl… or a human. She was tall for a ladder. It made looking ‘adorable’ through tough, angular and sharp features an issue. Anathi breezed through with puppy eyes alone, breaking Nandi’s heart.
“You have to though. Come back.” Anathi whispered between palms.
“Then, bear with me. We don’t have these six to twelve months, but, we’ll have the rest of our lives.”
“I love you.” Anathi said.
They kissed, clinging as though on the very edge of the universe.
“We’re gonna grow old together. I promise my life on it… I’m so selfish.” Nandi breathed.
“I know. You’re going to talk to me every day, right?”
Nathi nodded, they slammed into each other so deeply they had to catch their breath, turning away like scolded toddlers.
Nandi found her family staring. A collection of stories on their faces. The best seller, her stepdad, the only person who could see cute in Nandi’s ‘puppy eyes’.
“You better not try and kiss me.” He said.
Nandi immediately burst out laughing. It was a disaster, involving trembling and snorting, bursts of ′ha′ in-between, enough to bring tears to the dark-skinned giant, who loomed enough to overshadow all but him.
“I’m going to miss you so much I can’t stand it.” She breathed.
They hugged and this time it was her lifted.
“She isn’t dying”
Her father turned, Nandi still floating. There stood her stepsister, a year older, a queen, arms crossed in a huff and yet still texting, a skill.
“But she’s leaving!” He complained.
“You better make a plan to see me or bring me back for a bit after a few months. Right?” Nati said, ‘puppy eyeing’ him.
“Of course, baby. Of course!” He all but yelled.
Her feet touched ground.
Nandi ambled forwards, her eyes drenched but holding a sly smile. For a split second, her stepsister raised a brow. Realization hit, her eyes widened, she retreated.
“No, don’t you dare.”
“It’s happening.” He said.
“Don’t!”
“Your consent is not required.”
Nandi grabbed her wrist and pulled her in, despite their similarities, height, shape, fitness, there was no fighting. She was unstoppable and her sister was pulled in and squeezed. A fish in a shark’s jaw.
“Don’t kiss me!” She cried.
“Too late!”
She was smothered in kisses; love bites dotted all over. Nandi grinned, victory in her eyes, a snort escaping her sister’s lips.
“Oh my god, are you laughing?” Nandi yelled.
“No! Stop!”
“Call a cop.”
“MOM!” she yelled.
“Nandi…”
Her stepmother didn’t yell. That wouldn’t make her her mother. The world stopped, laws of the universe snapped to attention to accommodate her words. Nandi set her sister free, watching her retreat behind her mother, eyes on her phone. It was a talent.
The time to face the mountain, Olympus.
Nandi took a breath and extended a hand.
They shook, any affection in a touch to the side of Nandi’s head. She buried her face into her mother’s bosom, squeezing her mother’s waist, an act of heresy.
“It’s only six months, max a year. And your father says you’ll visit in three. So, calm down!”
Nandi didn’t so much as lift her head, just sniffling, her every breath rippling through her stiff and appalled mother.
“I’ll miss you too.”
