“I'm good, I'm good." She turned to my shopping partner. "Hi Kevin."

“Cherys..." Kevin tipped his head and drawled charmingly before rolling his eyes to me questioningly. Only then did I remember all the recent history between her and my sister.

Cherys caught the look as well and her posture visibly tensed up. And for a moment, the three of us looked at each other with obvious awkwardness.

“Dude, I'm uh... going to go buy this vacuum. The yellow one, right?"

Kevin asked Cherys, who nodded. "Dave, I'll uh... I'll meet you by the car."

I nodded and Kevin loaded the box onto his cart and hustled away.

Cherys looked at her feet and asked in a quiet voice, “How's Danielle?"

“She's good. She's staying with us."

"I heard. I'm happy about that."

The awkwardness was killing me. Cherys meant so much to me and we had such a history together that this couldn't continue. Cherys didn't Look happy with it either. So I just stepped forward and put my hands on her arms and looked her in the eyes. "Cherys, let's not be like this.

You're my friend. And with enough time, I know you and Danielle will be friends again real soon."

"I want that very much," Cherys said quietly. "You know how they say you don't know what you've got until it's gone? I didn't just lose my girlfriend. I Lost my best friend. It's just that I hurt her so badly."

“She's hurt and she misses you. But she understands," I reassured her.

“You should come by the house sometime. I'm sure you have a lot to catch up about."

Cherys nodded and looked up at me. But this time, I saw her eyes swimming in a sea of violet. Her lips opened in a soft pant as she felt my hands crushing her arms and her gaze swept from my face and down across my chest.

“I've missed you too, David."

I wasn't sure how to react to that. Her phrase sounded straightforward enough, but there was a heat in her voice that sounded Like she missed far more than my friendship. Plus, the way she was staring at my Lips from just inches away had my heart racing. There was an emotional intensity in that moment, and I wasn't sure how to react. So instead I tried bringing up a subject I knew I would have to talk about someday.

“Cherys, Danielle told me everything. I mean EVERYTHING, including

Uncle Verne."

She went rigid in my arms and immediately the color in her eyes faded back into a more neutral grey.

“So you know why I wanted you?"

“Yes...”

Cherys just stared at me for a long time, her eyes darting back and forth into mine as her brain processed. I wasn't sure how to read her blank expression, whether she was angry or just surprised.

At the last, her face softened and she gave me a little smile. "I'm glad."

I felt some of the tension melting out of my spine and my shoulders relaxed noticeably.