Mourning with Cake

“Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate or tortuous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.”

― Joanne Harris, Chocolat

Liv packed her suitcase while tears streamed down her face.

"Just cancel the trip, Liv,"

"Give it a chance, Tom. This can't be happening. Let's just take the trip,"

"Liv, no. It doesn't work like that,"

Her plane would be leaving in 5 hours and she had a few last-minute chores to do. She scrapped the leftovers in the fridge, emptied all her trash cans, and finished cleaning up the dishes.

"It's over between us, Liv. I'm sorry. I've felt this way for a while and a month in Belgium won't fix it,"

"I still love you, Tom. If you just give us another chance,"

Her heart sank a little as she put her passport into her backpack. Her phone buzzed, and she jumped. With a little jolt of hope, she checked her messages.

Hey, sweetie! Have a safe trip! Call us when you get to your hotel, please.

Thanks, mom. I will

You'll be fine, Liv. Take this time for yourself.

Liv blinked as she sat near the plane terminal waiting to board. She hardly recalled the trip to the airport, or filtering through security for that matter. She checked her belongings - all were accounted for.

She found her seat next to the window and felt relieved as no one took up the seat next to her. Placing her headphones in, turning her phone on airplane mode, she settled in for her long flight.

The flight attendants offered Liv snacks and beverages but she turned each attempt down. Feeling more tired than hungry, Liv opted to sleep for most of her flight and woke to the pilot's announcement that they were approaching Brussel's Airport.

With no checked baggage, Liv felt lite as she headed for the shuttles that would take her to her hotel. On the way, she stopped at a free brochure stand that offered information about Belgium and places to explore.

Liv took a breath and felt a little more awake. Suddenly aware she had just landed and set foot in another country by herself, butterflies took flight in her stomach.

She boarded the bus to her hotel in Brussels and sifted through the pamphlets she acquired, noting places of interest. The sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful backlight on the city.

Unable to take her eyes off of each building they passed, Liv was startled when a man told her they had arrived at her hotel. She thanked them and departed the bus.

She took a breath and felt... different. What was this feeling?

Checking into the hotel, Liv gave her mother a call with no answer, so she left her a voicemail:

"Hi, mom. I made it! It's beautiful! I'm so happy you talked me into this. I feel... good. About everything right now. I can't seem to stop smiling. I probably looked ridiculous on the shuttle to my hotel! Anyway, it's probably really early for you, and I'm about to turn in for the night. I'll check in with you again!"

Liv woke to the sound of the city. For a moment, she didn't realize where she was. Slowly, her memory crept back, and she remembered Tom. She lingered on feelings of loss and being alone when she looked around the room and recalled she was in Belgium. By herself.

The lightness she felt and the fluttering giddiness rushed back to her as she picked up the brochures again. She stuffed them into her purse and rushed out of the hotel room, almost forgetting to change her clothes.

Liv began to walk down the streets. A train to Ardennes was up the road from where she was staying. Public transportation in a foreign country seemed the most obvious choice. Though, Tom would have disagreed.

He hated relying on public transit as he thought it would be a waste of time. Liv enjoyed the scenic route and not having to think "how to get there".

Liv considered this as she made her way down the street. She would have never been walking this way if she had been with Tom. They would have probably started arguing on where to go first or what to each, even.

As she realized this, she stopped at a coffee shop. She ducked inside and was happy to find that it was not busy; only a few locals sat inside reading the paper.

She ordered an espresso. Before she could think to deny it, she ordered a decadent slice of chocolate cake that sat coyly in the bakery case. The man gave her a smile and a wink as if he knew what she had gone through.

Sitting at a seat by the window, Liv could see the town starting their day. On their way to work, tourists looking at maps and pointing, and birds flying about the tall buildings.

Taking a sip of her espresso, she felt a weight almost melt away. She smiled lightly, picked up her fork, and took a bite of the cake.