#quarantinereads

“That’s a beautiful scarf peach.”

I turn around to him and smile, running my hands over both sides of the silk material. 

“Thanks... I’ve worn it a couple times before, I guess I just now picked the right outfit.” 

He smiles and nods then walks over to grab his shoes out of the closet. I do the same out of mine, settled finally on my handy dandy air forces. When I glance at myself in the mirror, I can only stand to look at myself for a short second. After it passes I grab a jacket from off a hanger, in case the office is cooler than I expect, and I make my way downstairs. 

Roman’s waiting for me leaned against the door, his arms folded as he watches me come downstairs. Once I’m close enough to his grasp he holds the sides of my face and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. We leave our home walking side by side until we reach his car. 

The palm trees I used to find so infatuating upon my first arrival here seem to whiz by normally now. The sun shines bright and covers my face like a blanket. I reach forward below the radio to grab my shades, and I catch Roman’s short and dry chuckle from the driver’s side. 

“What? That sun’s mad bright.” 

“No, it’s not that. I’m looking at your ring.” 

I glance at my hand once my shades are on and smile, I was indeed an icy girl, and this 15-carat butterfly ring I sported on my ring finger was a staple I nearly never left the house without. It was my top hat or fedora. 

“She’s really shining under all this sun.”

“I remember when I bought that for you...I’m shocked you still wear that old thing.” 

He says this all without a glance in my direction. At that, I can only give a tight smile and nod, still staring at the beautiful piece. But never had it felt so... meaningless. 

“Yeah. I am too.” 

~~~~

“So what’s new guys? Come to any revelations I should know about?” 

Of all the people that were totally invested in this relationship, there was no one more pressed and concerned about it working than our therapist. We called her Annalise, and we paid her way too much money for the little results she was yielding. I couldn’t blame her though. No use trying to feed water to a dead buffalo. 

Roman only glanced at me for a second before speaking. 

“Well, it’s taken some time and thought... but I think we both have reached a conclusion that we can both agree to honor.” 

Annalise smiled brightly and leaned forward on her elbows as if she was about to be told the secret to life itself. 

“And what would that be lovebirds?” 

A silent pause in the room, I guess for some sort of emphasis. 

“We’re going to see other people.” 

Aaliyah

Roman