Starting Over Part 4

Ella hadn't seen Rio in a week. David had tried to send her flowers but they remained on the porch and withered away. Ella went over and knocked on Rio's door softly; three times a day she did. Rio never even cracked the door a bit or looked out of the windows. Ella could only hope that Rio was taking care of herself. David went to Ella's house every day that week to ensure Ella was taking care of herself.

"She's never going to speak to me again," Ella said quietly.

"Yes she will. She just needs time." David felt terrible about what happened after Ella had explained everything. He even scheduled an emergency session with his therapist that night. David had terrible nightmares each night since the incident. He never could voice those terrible nightmares, even to his therapist who told him every time that it would help to voice them or write them down and burn them. David couldn't bring himself to remember the terrible things he witnessed. The way he witnessed his best friends death. That monster hadn't realized that David and Charlie were on a videochat before. They were planning David's trip out. David saw every strike, heard every horrifying scream. Saw the blow that took his best friends life. David didn't sleep for weeks after. Any time he did sleep he was jolted awake by awful nightmares. Nightmares that never go away.

"She barely knows us. Give her some time." David said.

"She barely knows you," Ella retorted, getting up from her seat in the kitchen and storming off to her bedroom, slamming the door. David got up from his chair and went into the backyard to do something he hadn't done in years because he knew it would disappoint Charlie; they were the one to help him quit. David went out to smoke a cigarette.

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The next morning, Ella went over to Rio's house and cleaned her porch of the wilted flowers. On the table, Ella left a pie. She knocked on the door several times and waited on Rio's porch for 2 and a half hours. Ella started to doze off when she heard a lock click. Ella shot up from her seat as Rio cracked open the door.

"Ella?" she whispered. Ella sighed with relief.

"Yes, I'm here. I've been here every day for 2 weeks," she began crying. She wanted to burst through the door and hug Rio, but before she could even blink, Rio's arms were around her and Ella was smothered by Rio's soft, coconutty hair.

"I missed you. I knew you were here. I couldn't open the door," Rio's words were coming out so fast, Ella could hardly understand her.

"Shh, it's okay," she told her as she stroked her face. "It's okay, I'm here now. We're here now, together," she whispered. And they embraced one another again.

They sat in Rio's kitchen, drinking tea and eating pie. Rio explained her aversion to flowers and apologized for not telling her the truth: that she wasn't ready to meet another person. Rio cried as she told Ella and Ella comforted her. They make their way to the living room with slices of pie and their tea. Rio lay her head on Ella's lap and after a few minutes, Ella heard Rio snoring softly. She didn't dare move. Ella sat while Rio slept soundly.

Rio's dreams were peaceful. The smell of lavender transformed her dreams into a field of the gorgeous flower, where her and Ella lay, staring at one another, smiling and laughing. For the first time, Rio slept peacefully and for more than 4 hours. Ella stayed with Rio the entire time and made a vow; how ever long it takes, she will stand by Rio's side. No matter what.