Iridescent

Seven

"Happiness is an accident of nature, a beautiful and flawless aberration."

- Pat Conroy

Althea found herself on Lincoln's doorstep a week later.

She stood on the concrete steps, staring up at the maroon colored door and its rusty golden knocker with a slight frown. Two days earlier, Lincoln and Althea had made plans to spend another day together, with Althea dropping by on his side of town again. An hour ago, Althea had stepped off of the train and onto the brick flooring of the station, her eyes wide and gleaming as she searched for his familiar face and oh-so gentle yet affectionate smile.

He hadn't been there.

Althea had taken it upon herself to find him - she had quickly waved over a cab, ducking inside of it as she prattled off Lincoln's address to the rather moody cab driver, and she stared tensely out of the fogged up window as the tall buildings of brick and glass zipped by in a hazy blur.

Then, the cab had lurched to a stop, drawing Althea out of her dazed state of worry. She quickly stumbled out, popping a twenty to the cab driver and telling him to keep the change despite his disbelief, and she hesitantly walked up the concrete steps to Lincoln's apartment door, suddenly wishing that she hadn't gone through all the trouble in fear of Lincoln not being there.

Althea inhaled deeply, filling her heavy lungs with cool air that sent chills down her spine. She hesitatnyl reached for the slightly rusted golden knocker, grabbing its surface with her trembling fingers that flushed from the cold.

She brought the knocker onto the door's surface three times; I love you - her heart whispered, and she breathed in a shaky breath as she rubbed her hands together, waiting patiently for Lincoln to answer. She let out a groan as several moments passed without her actions being acknowledged, and she itched at her chin, unsure of what to do.

Unintentionally, her hand wrapped around the matching golden knob of the door and twisted it, and her eyes widened in surprise as the door quietly drew open. Her mind immediately went to scolding Lincoln for leaving his front door unlocked and she quickly stepped inside, not wanting to allow in a cold draft as the wind began to blow and howl outside.

The door clicked shut behind her and she locked it shut, heaving out a soft sigh as she unbuttoned her coat and loosened her scarf, craning her neck into Lincoln's living room as she ventured further inside. The low heels of her boots thunked against the wooden floor of Lincoln's home, and she winced at the loud, echoing sound before stopping short and slipping out of the sleek shoes.

Her socked feet padded across floor and she slipped off her coat, folding it over the head of Lincoln's favorite leather loveseat before tugging the sleeves of her sweater into her palms. She furrowed her eyebrows and surveyed the living room, not finding a single change from the first time that she had visited last week.

Her stomach churned and her mind went blank as she walked past the living room and found herself in the dimly-lit hallway where the master bedroom stood only a few feet away. Its door sat ajar, a slightly brighter light spilling from the gaps and into the hallway.

Althea stepped forward cautiously and slowly, cringing to herself as the wooden floorboards creaked beneath her weight. The door to Lincoln's bedroom whined open as Althea gently pushed on the white wood, and she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Lincoln sprawled out atop his bed and buried beneath the plain covers.

She quietly stepped forward, soundlessly swinging the door shut behind her as she merely stood and overlooked a sleeping Lincoln. Althea cocked her head to the side, taking in the multitude of cough drops and syrups scattered across the area of his night stand. She took in the crumpled tissues and the trash can at the foot of his bed, and she shook her head to herself.