The Persistence of Memory | ✔

02

Despite that, some part of her must have known the things she’d gone through had changed her too much.

The bells on the coffee shop door jingled daintily when Nina walked into the cozy little store. There were not so many people waiting around, perhaps because of the odd hour—too late for breakfast and too early for lunch. Nina was glad for that much.

Nat sat at a table off to the side, next to the window where she could watch people walk by and go about their business. She looked much like she had the last time Nina had seen her, something that must have been more than a month back. They were both busy people, after all.

Nat’s long, dark hair was neatly clipped back and a thoughtful expression was on her face, making her look as if she was caught in her own thoughts. Even so, her eyes still held a keen sort of look that Nina had come to associate so closely to her friend. Of course, Nat’s eyes had always stood out to Nina for more than one reason.

When Nat finally saw Nina, she smiled, crimson lips curving across her pale face as she stood to greet Nina with a hug. Her warmth was comforting, despite Nina’s usual dislike of physical affection. She supposed, at times, a bit of it was needed—maybe even appreciated. The embrace was quick, Nat drawing back to look at Nina, seemingly appraising her friend’s condition.

“How have you been?” Nat asked, voice soft and just faintly tinged with concern.

“I’m fine,” Nina said, feeling as if that were true at that moment. “Tired, but fine. I guess it’s just taking some getting used to not remembering so much.”

“I bet it does.” Nat took her seat once more as Nina sat across from her. She noticed a warm drink already waiting for her. “Oh, I ordered something for you. Figured you’d need something to warm you up with this weather.”

Nina smiled at the gesture and took a sip of the drink Nat had ordered for her. It was sweet, a bit too much so for her taste, but she still smiled as she set her cup down.

“Thank you,” she said, the taste of cream and sugar still stuck to her mouth. Nat smiled, pleased. “How has work been for you?”

“Busy, like always. The company’s expanding and we might be moving to a new location soon, but I won’t bore you with the details.” Nat waved the issue away with a simple gesture of her hand. “By the way, I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you before, things have just been so busy and then I wasn’t sure how you were doing.”

“It’s fine, I understand. We all have our own lives. I’m just glad we could meet up now, it’s a nice change from being stuck at home all the time.” Nina smiled at her friend in what she hoped was a comforting manner.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to bother you before you were well enough. You look good,” Nat commented, lifting her cup to her lips, steam still rising from the drink.

Nina supposed she did, considering all she had been through. The mention of it—the very thought of it—still made her all the more conscious of the burns that were still healing. Skin grafting could only do so much and Nina knew she’d have scars left over to remind her of the accident. Constant reminders of what had happened. Subconsciously, she tugged at the sleeve of her sweater beneath the table.

“I feel good, it’s just odd sometimes,” Nina said, halting before she said anything about the real issues she had been dealing with. Unfortunately for Nina, Nat was a very perceptive person. Her brown eyes seemed to look through her, the mismatched tones—something Nat claimed only Nina had ever been able to notice so quickly—unsettling for the first time since Nina had first gazed at them so many years earlier.

“Is something wrong?” Nat asked, brow furrowed

Nina hesitated for a moment, mulling over whether she should tell Nat. She was well aware of how ridiculous what she was going through sounded. Still, Nat was someone she could trust, someone she had known for a very long time. There were few people Nina could trust to the same level as she did Nat.