The Move

When she said that she was getting the carpet cleaners over at 4.30, I thought nothing more of it and met up with her at her place after work. It was only when I walked into the house and saw that all the furniture had been removed that I realised she was moving out.

How could this have happened, I thought to myself. And why was I feeling like a part of me was being ripped away?

I had not expected to feel what I felt considering that I have not been to their house for a while now.

...

I remember the first time I went to there. I remember thinking just how clean their place was.

It was pristine.

And I remember sitting in the living room with Kay, on a really late night, talking about life. She had talked more than I have ever remembered her talking and the more I heard, the more I appreciated her. Her ways of thinking, her honesty and her openness.

She is the kind of girl who will listen to you. Who will let you be all that you can be and be truly happy for you. She will dare to contradict you and question you. She will tell you when you have crossed the line. And she will, like none other, think of you as she would of a sister.

She will call you and speak to you on the phone for hours. She will invite you to parties. She will get you out of the house on your birthday and tell you that you need to celebrate. Just because she can. She will also tell you that you always deserve better and that he needs to be reminded of that too.

And over time, she became not only a true friend but a real sister to me.

I remember spending my Christmas there with Shal. Opening presents by the Christmas tree. Sitting around in a large circle of friends and sharing our stories.

I remember our catch ups. Lunches. Dinners. I remember always feeling at ease whenever I was there. Standing around in the kitchen. Leaning over the bench top engrossed in our conversations.

Knowing where the plates were.

The towels.

Using my favourite glass.

Now their christmas tree sits in my living room. And all the memories attached to the house in those four years will and can never be relived. I feel such heartache. I miss it all. I miss sitting there in their kitchen. I miss our younger selves. I miss how we all used to be so close. So comfortable being in the same house.

Yet, I would not have changed a thing, even if I knew then this was how it would all pan out. For we need but only a moment to look back in time and know that we have lived a good life. That we have been in the company of those we loved and cherished.

And with that, we know that we can only have more happy memories to come.

Here's to Kay, Shal and Dave.