"Oh." She turns thoughtfully to the coffee machine. Only when she hands me the large latte coffee does she respond. "If we were good friends, I would know that her behavior had a reason and at least want to hear it before I decide anything."
"So you would give her a chance?" I position the drink on my tray.
The corners of her mouth lift. "Call her," she says, then goes back to work.
Even though her words might not mean much, I feel relieved. I quickly serve the order, then take a short break and step into the café's backyard.
With my heart pounding, I dial Sky's number. When I got my new phone number right after fleeing Paris, I transferred all the contacts. Maybe deep down, I already hoped I would need her one day. However, I don't know if Sky's phone number is still current.
It rings.
I close my eyes and lean against the sun-warmed wall behind me.
With each subsequent ring, I feel like I'm getting less air. What if she hates me? What if she hangs up immediately once she realizes who's calling?
And what if I break into tears before I can say anything?
"Oui?"
My muscles give way. "Hello, Sky," I whisper tonelessly, then I wait.
"Aurora." She doesn't sound surprised. Instead, her voice carries a knowing tone.
I take a deep breath to finally say what I should have said years ago. "I made a mistake." She doesn't respond. The tense silence between us is interrupted only by a steady rattling on the other end of the line. "I made a big damn mistake, and I would understand if you can't forgive me. We were best friends, and I..." I can't continue; my voice fails. I clear my throat, struggling to keep myself together as I sink along the wall.
"Is there anything I can do to make it right?" I ask quietly.
"Well, since you put it that way," Sky says from a distance. "You could pick me up at the Guérande train station in three hours."
***
Sky and I embrace three hours later. We spend minutes just hugging as the platform slowly empties.
"I could hardly believe it when Maxime told me he found you," she says, her voice sounding choked. "But here you are. This is..."
"There's so much I want to tell you," I finally whisper into Sky's long curls, which feels relieving.
We're back together, and she's ready to talk to me. Maybe even ready to forgive me.
I suggest taking a walk at the salt flats, and shortly after, we arrive there. The sun peeks out from behind the puffy clouds, making the surface of the seawater-filled basins glisten.
As we walk, I link arms with Sky.
"That I just left like that was the biggest mistake of my life," I begin because she needs to know. "Even though it was complicated with Maxime, I should have talked to you."
She gazes at the horizon. "Why didn't you?"
"It's complicated," I reply so softly that I can barely hear myself. I sound like a weakling, and immediately, resistance builds up inside me. With my free hand, I nervously adjust my glasses.
Sky nods encouragingly.
Struggling, I clear my throat, then force myself to continue. "I didn't want to be helped," I say, connecting with what I realized in my conversation with Vivienne.
"Oh yes," Sky comments with a sigh. "That's true."
"All my life, I thought I had to be strong and solve all my problems alone," I try to explain, although it's incredibly difficult to admit.
Silently, we walk along the dirt path as I try to understand why that is.
