The Life She Lost

"You feel so good in me Ai-" Claira groaned as she woke up.

"Why does the best part always have to be ruined?" Claira mumbled under her breath.

She looked out the truck window. They had finally made it into the city, after many unexpected stops. Apparently, vodka does not mix very well with her stomach.

She looked away from the window, towards Aiden. His fingers strummed against the steering wheel, his face calm. He noticed her looking and turned.

"Good morning sleepyhead, how are you feeling?" Aiden asked, before turning his attention back to the road.

"I feel like shit. Nor can I remember anything from the last six hours." Claira responded, clutching her stomach in exaggeration.

Aiden looked at her questioning. He was unsure if she truly forgot about the gas station, or if she had a bad perception of time. He thought about asking, but decided not to push it.

As he approached a stop light, he glanced at Claira.

"So where can I drop you off, Madam?" He said in his best British accent.

Claira's face immediately fell. She looked at her lap, fidgeting with her hands.

"I have nowhere to go." Claira whispered softly.

Aiden softened his face and placed his hand lightly on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him.

"Hey, it's okay. You can crash at my place for a bit. For as long as you need." Aiden said calmly.

Claira looked into his light blue eyes, seeing the twinkle of sincerity in them. She smiled lightly as the light changed green, creating a soft hue on Aiden's hair.

"Ok?" She questioned softly, trying to decide if he truly meant it.

"Ok!" Aiden whooped, nervously, as he banged his hands on the steering wheel.

As he pressed the gas, he gave a quick smirk at Claira.

"Plus, I haven't had company in a while, I could use some." He breathed, winking.

Claira smiled wide and smacked him on the shoulder. She laughed as they sped down the road.

After twenty minutes, Aiden's truck rolled onto a small gravel driveway. Claira looked up as they came to a stop in front of a cute bungalow. The panels were painted in a marvelous white, with the tiniest porch imaginable. But, the house itself did not catch her eye. Instead, the front door was the one thing she could not take her eye off of.

The door was painted in an immaculate light blue. The same light blue color that had become so memorable in the last few hours.

"Your door... it's the perfect shade to match your eyes Aiden." Claira spoke softly, looking up at him.

Aiden mumbled a semi-coherent "yes" before he put the truck in park and left. Claira quickly followed suit, falling into step with him as they climbed the short steps.

When he reached into his pocket for his keys, Aiden's body was shaking. He unlocked the door, gripping the door handle, before he swung the door open.

"Please, come in." Aiden croaked out, trying to smile.

Claira returned a small smile as she entered. But, when she stepped inside, she almost stopped in her tracks.

The walls were painted the small, delicate white from the outside. The floors were a smooth light wood. The thing that stopped her heart was all the details in that blue color. Blue pots, blue doors, blue frames, blue pillows. All in the exact shade of Aiden's eyes.

But, as she walked further into the entrance, one thing made her heart stop. On the small entry table, was a tiny, light blue jewelry tray. Within it, were two gold wedding bands.

Claira looked back at Aiden, who was standing right in front of the door. He followed her gaze to the wedding bands.

Claira immediately felt like hurling. Her breathing hitched as she slowly slumped onto the floor. She couldn't feel her head hit the wall. Claira's mind raced as she closed her eyes. How could she be so stupid. Why would she not think of him having a partner.

"Claira, Claira, you have to look at me." a hushed voiced said.

Claira opened her eyes trying to understand who was speaking. Her body felt numb as she tried to follow the voice. It whispered a second time, feeling a little closer. Claira slowly opened her eyes, to see another pair staring at her. Aiden was crouched rubbing her back. She coughed hard, trying to breathe again.

"There you go, I'll get you a glass of water, ok?" Aiden assured her as he ran down the hall.

A distant tap quickly turned on and then off. Aiden so reappeared, placing the glass on the floor beside Claira. He sat next to her and sighed.

He rested his head on the wall, closing his eyes before speaking.

"Her name was Emma. I met her in college, sophomore year, and she was perfect. So, I married her. We did everything together and life was just...perfect." He whispered, smiling to himself.

"But, a year ago. There was an accident. Emma didn't..." Aiden stuttered over himself, pausing.

Claira looked at him, seeing a small tear slip down his cheek.

" Emma was like my rock. She held me together. When I lost her, I lost myself. I didn't know how to deal with that much pain. It broke me." Aiden voice cracked, as more tears spilled out of his closed eyes.

Claira reached over and hugged him with her shaking arms. She squeezed as tight as she could, trying to calm him as he calmed her.

"I'm sorry, I should've been calmer I-" Claira tried to apologize, but Aiden interjected.

"No, I'm sorry. That was something I should have told you." Aiden whispered, opening his eyes.

He swiped his thumbs across Claira's face, gently erasing her tears. Claira looked at him and did the same. They both smiled softly. Aiden was the first to lean in this time.

His approach was soft and gentle. He cupped Claira's face lightly, pulling her in. She melted into his lips, immediately feeling her unrest slipping away. It was slow and loving, until Claira pulled back.

Aiden looked up at her as she stood. They stared into each other's eyes, realizing how broken one another was.