Chapter 26

It was 2:00 am, both girls leaned forward on the veranda holding their tea. It was so quiet. A kind of silence that is pleasant; that is able to soothe the soul.

"It has been so long since the last time I heard the sound of crickets." Erika said with a little sadness in her voice.

"You must be fed up of the City life?"

"Not really."

There was silence.

"I felt empty." Erika continued.

Andy turned to Erika with a confused look.

Erika let out a small laughed. "I don't know. The place, the air, the crickets and you here… I felt suddenly breaking?."

A gleamer of tear formed on Erika's eyes that made Andy looked baffled.

"I have this life laid out for me." Erika dryly smiled. Andy didn't say anything. The air suddenly felt so heavy. She just listened sympathetically.

"I'm sick of numbers defining me."

"I'm burdened with all the expectations and pressures my family has for me."

"I'm angry at myself for not brave enough to decide what path I want to thread without disappointing them."

By then, Erika's voice broke to tears. Her shoulders were shaking as she succumbed to crying. Andy hugged her.

"I'm just keeping everything inside… and it slowly eating me…" Erika uttered between sobs.

When Erika calmed down a little. Andy begun to comfort the girl with words.

"How about disconnecting from everything that doesn't light a fire in your soul?"

"There is never really a time when we don't have a choice."

"There is still time for growth and for that change you desperately want."

"This is your life so you get to decide what you want."

"This is really all up to you. So think this through."

Erika tightened her grip on Andy's shirt in response then sobbed again.

Andy inhaled deeply. "We'll get out of the City tomorrow. For a change, we'll reconnect with nature."

Erika did not respond.

"We'll reacquaint ourselves with the towering mountains and tress, the grass, the river and the mirroring lake."

Erika again did not respond.

"How's that? A good plan?" Andy smiled then pushed back Erika a little to take a glimpse of her swollen face.

Erika averted her gaze. "Don't look."

When Andy was so stubborn to keep on looking at her, she brushed away Andy's hands on her shoulder and walked inside throwing herself down to bed and buried her face on the pillow.

Andy followed. She turned off the lights and tucked Erika and herself with the comforter. She adjusted her body and slid her arm to Erika's waist then pulled her closer.

Erika shuddered to the sudden action. She wanted to turn and confront her friend but she can't. Andy's chin rested on the crook of her neck.

"Let's sleep." Andy said with those soothing voice.

Letting everything be as it is. Erika relaxed her body and accepted the warm embrace. She can't help but smile as she drifted to sleep. She felt safe and secure beneath those arms.

'Sometimes home is not necessarily the roof over your head. It's in the arms of the one you love.'

- Moira Chigariro