Closing distances

Another week had passed, my leg was feeling fine, and I was finally able to get out of my room more often, I could help Evelyn in the kitchen and help her clean the basics, but there was some stuff that I couldn’t watch or go in just yet.

Places like upstairs and cleaning shelves with the photos, they were still upside down and I couldn’t find the courage just yet to flip them up.

“I’m glad you clean upstairs, I really can’t go there yet”

“Do not worry about it, you are taking big steps right now, do not go ahead of yourself”

“Yeah, I know, I know”

We finished eating and I helped clean the dishes with Evelyn, I washed them up and she dried them. After that we went outside to walk for a bit until we reached a park that was nearby.

Since my feet had healed, Evelyn said that I should go out to not let my body be all loose and weak, not that it wasn’t like that even before getting my toes tired, but this was our little training to not feel so overwhelmed when we went to that strange cave that the anonymous writer told us.

“How did you train in your place, Evelyn?”

“Mmmh, I did a ton of things, I mostly do calisthenics with some sessions running”

“I see, well, now that we are training, can you teach me something?”

“You want to learn? Sure! Actually, I do this sometimes after do the housework”

“Really?... You have a ton of endurance, I can’t keep up like you”

“I am sure you can, everyone can, is just practice, I will help you like you said starting now, when we get back to the house”

“Not here?...”

“Yes, after all this type of training are supposed to be done indoors and some outside”

“Alright…”

I’m kind of regretting this now…

After walking around the park, we went back home and I was already trying to throw myself on the sofa but Evelyn touched my shoulder and smiled at me, a sinister smile, I couldn’t help but laugh nervously and see how Evelyn was getting close to me.

“And One! And two! And three! Go! Go! Azura! Go! Go! Azura!”

“I CAN’T!”

“YOU CAN”

I was sweating more than ever already, I was trying to do sit-ups but I just could do three after I was feeling a bit dizzy

“Now push-ups!”

“Now squats!”

“Now planks!”

“Now pull-ups!”

I was in the bathroom throwing up while Evelyn was giving me little pets in my back.

“I’m sorry, Azura… I think we should practice one at the time…”

I continued throwing up and after a bit I went to lay down on the sofa while Evelyn brought me a glass of water.

“Thanks… It’s a bit frustrating that I can’t do more than three of those exercises…”

“You will be able to do them just… we keep it slow”

“I understand…”

I drank sips of water while calming down, Evelyn made me a light food and I rested the entire day.

On the next I felt how my entire body was numb and I felt how it hurt a bit, but even with those and feeling tired as hell, I got up and accompanied Evelyn, she was worried, I could notice it in her eyes but I didn’t want to be a deadweight for her.

“Are you sure you are feeling fine, Azura?”

“I feel exhausted… but don’t worry about me, Evelyn, I’ll be fine”

“If you say so… but let me know if something is bothering you, is that alright?”

“Yes, you have my word”

When we returned home, I started doing some push-ups, I couldn’t last more than 4, but Evelyn still praised me a lot.

“Great job! We should not do repetitions, this is great by its own, you did well, Azura”

“Thanks… I want to take a shower tho, I feel like my entire body is cover in glue”

“I will have it prepared for you”

“Thanks, Evelyn”

I went to take a shower and let myself sink in the tub, I look at the ceiling and extended my hand

Evelyn… I really wish you would stay with me… but I cannot be this selfish… I already abused your kindness and patience…

“What am I thinking… it could be that I… but… if I am just like that because of her kind heart… dammit… I’m so clueless in this…”

I left the bathroom and went to my room after I finished, having a towel on top of my hair. I saw Evelyn in my bed playing with her finger and moving her lips, I stared at her and when she looked at me I looked to the other part.

Why did I…

“Are you ok, Azura?”

“Yeah, sorry. I’m just tired…”

I went to bed and lay down while Evelyn sat next to me, I close my eyes letting my body have a well-deserved rest, and the same pattern was repeat for the next couple of days, in the afternoon and night we didn’t do anything special, just hang out as usual, going to other places and play or watch things together.

It was in the weekend that my body felt lighter and was time to rest, I had a good idea and without telling Evelyn I told her to help me prepare a lot of food, we did sandwiches, rice, egg rolls, fried chicken, fried shrimps and a ton of food to eat and not eat until dinner.

We put everything in a straw basket and we hop on the motorized bicycle.

“Where are we going, Azura?”

“It’s a surprise!”

We both were smiling, and went for a two-hour journey until I reached a local forest. There was nothing on the sides outside some stores or little houses, we entered the forest and in there, we stood upon a giant lake.

The water was shining due to the sun, autumn was about to come so it wasn’t really hot and the trees were still having leaves, it was a beautiful scenario, but when I saw Evelyn, she was crying.

“E-Ev?”

“Oh, sorry… It’s just that… this reminds me of home… “

“How often do you see these kinds of places there?”

“There’s a ton of good places that still hold up outside the things that threat the kingdom, I really miss my home, Azura…”

“I know…”

That’s why I’m doing this

“We should be there tomorrow, but it is Saturday, we tend to have these two days to relax or doing things we like, so let’s enjoy it”

Evelyn nodded and smiled at me.

“Yeah, sorry.

“Don’t worry”

We started by putting the blanket in the floor and then took things out of the basket

“Is this… whine?”

“Yeah, we are older, so I thought, so cups wouldn’t hurt”

“You drink, Azura?”

“I don’t tend to, but sometimes I drink”

“I barely do it…”

“What about an exception, a toast for tomorrow, even if that place isn’t what it’s supposed to be, we can still celebrate a ton of things”

“Like your recovery in a lot of aspects”

“Hey…”

Evelyn laughed with her hand in her mouth and pock me in the chest

“But are you doing such a great work, that is for sure, Azura”

“Thanks… I wouldn’t have done it without your help…”

We started eating and drinking until the evening was about to arrive, we observed the lake while being close to each other, having our cups filled.

We ate all the food, and we almost finished the entire wine, we were just enjoying the moment at this point, and when the sky was changing colors, we drank our last sips of wine.

We weren’t drunk, but we sure were dizzy, we cleaned up the place and we started walking.

I look up at the stars and Evelyn too.

“You know the stars calm me, Azura?”

“I thought you said that it was just because”

Evelyn negated with her head.

“In reality I did not want to tell you yet, my grandma died when I was younger, but she always said something to me, no matter where are we or what happened to us, we all became star dust and when I am gone, I will be in the stars, watching you”

I look at the sky and see how a few stars were brighter than others

“I am sure your parents are there too, Azura…”

I nodded and I hopped on the bicycle.

“I felt a little better, let’s go home”

Evelyn nodded as she hugged me and rested her head on my back, I could feel her soft breathing and her tight hug, making me blush and sobering me a bit.

I will treasure this moment and the ones that we had… tomorrow, the travel will start and I will not be able to see you anymore… Evelyn… I will take you home, even if it hurts…