Page 120 of Meet Me at the Metro

I’m too ashamed to tell her the rest of that confession—that I probably wouldn’t have even made it a single step onto this street without her.

“Of course,” she nods.

I dare a glance back to the familiar two-story home looming beside us. I pick apart all its new details, from the dark gray double-door entryway to the bronze railing lining the steps in front of it. The changes seem a little over-ambitious for the relatively small property—out of place compared to the aged details of the connecting houses.

I see Kimberley’s had some renovations done.

Though even with its updated features, its burgundy and tawny brick foundation remains unchanged.

Years’ worth of memories race through my mind as I inspect the weathered masonry.

Memories of this house… Kimberley… My stepbrother…

My dad—the only part of all of this that doesn’t exist anymore.

My gut wrenches at the thought of him—that truth—and I have to force my eyes up to the overcast sky looming above us to keep from losing every shred of composure left in me. If I weren’t so overwhelmed with the blaze of emotions taking hold of every cell in my body right now, I’d probably laugh at how fitting the dark clouds are on this occasion.

“You’re okay, Theo. I’m right here with you. All night. You hear me?”

I nod in acknowledgment and try to slow my racing pulse.

The light beside the front door turns on, bringing us out of the dark shadows.

“Right here with you,” Nora says again, her thumb brushing against my cheekbone. “We can wait a little bit longer if you—”

“I’m ready,” I interrupt, lacing my fingers into hers as I push off the brick wall.

I want—need—to get this over with.

Nora twists her arm around mine and draws her body close as we approach the door. I relish in the warmth of her as my knuckles knock against its polished paint.

Too quickly, the door swings open.

Kim smiles as she greets us. “You two made it.”

My feet grow leaden, and I suddenly feel plastered to the doormat. Nora gently squeezes my arm, and I remind myself to breathe.

Kim eagerly motions us inside. “Please, come on in.”

As we step through the entryway, strong scents of orange and lavender fill my nostrils. Dark, hardwood panels cover the used-to-be carpeted floors, and the staircase and railing leading up to the house’s second story are more detailed and modernized than I remember them being. The floor plan is the only thing that seems to remain familiar in this home.

I don’t know if I find its unfamiliarity comforting or outright unsettling.

Kim doesn’t let me contemplate it for too long before she informs us, “Dinner’s ready.”

With carefully paced movements, she leads us to the dining room at the back end of the house. My eyes take in the freshly painted walls and new decor around the space and wonder if all the renovation in this place is her attempt to forget. Is she trying to erase every bit of reminder of the life we once had—mask the broken home that stands beneath the polished and clean interior?

“Your brother is going to be late, but we can go ahead and start without him. I’m sure you both are hungry. I know I am.”

Maybe I’ll get lucky, and he’ll miss the whole damn thing.

The white interior of the dining room is blinding underneath the fluorescent glow of the glass chandelier hanging at the center of the room. A six-chair dining table awaits us, its deep brown tabletop piled with various food selections and side dishes. I pull out one of the cushioned, ivory-cloth chairs for Nora and motion her to take a seat. An awkward silence falls upon the three of us as I sit in the chair beside her.

“Your home is beautiful, Kimberley,” Nora graciously speaks up beside me.

“Aww, thank you, Ellie. It’s taken a lot of work and money to get where it has, but it’s slowly coming together.” I opt to stay silent until Kim glances my way and asks, “Is it a lot different than what you remembered?”

“Yeah.”

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