Once again, I tried a Smoke and Mirrors Drabble challenge. This time is was use the concluding sentence: "Well," he said, " I guess that's one way to take care of the Spring Cleaning."
I wrote this piece in a about 20 minutes. However, I had been thinking for a day or so how I was going to approach this challenge.
Standard Disclaimers apply: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, etc.
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The break up had been bad. Kaoru wasn't sure what hurt worse-- his infidelity, his lies, or the terrible things he shouted at her when she ended it.
She had cried a lot and eaten ice cream. Time had passed and her heart had healed, her self-esteem recovered. Much of it was due to Kenshin, she acknowledged. When she had called him the morning after the break up, she hadn't really been expecting much. She simply needed a friend and Misao had been out of town.
He had come over and listened to her, even held her gently while she cried. Both that day and in the weeks that followed, his presence had been comforting. He never commented much about her relationship, but he listened, brought her sweets, and assured her that the vile accusations Enishi had made were false.
She had woken up this beautiful April morning feeling so free. It had taken her moment before she recognized what it was. She could finally admit to herself that she was over Enishi and ready to move forward with her life. Parts of her might be tender still, but it was time to leave the past behind her.
And so, she had called Kenshin while scampering around her apartment dumping things in the trash bag, pulling out old photographs and letters. He sounded a bit confused, but readily agreed to meet her at the park campgrounds with lighter fluid and matches.
He looked even more confused when she arrived carrying a trash bag, smiling broadly. Once the fire was built, she started pulling out things from the bag and burning them. By the time she had gotten to the photograph of her and Enishi at Disneyland, Kenshin's face had cleared. He even seem amused as he helped her burn the sweater Enishi had given her for Christmas.
"Well," he said, " I guess that's one way to take care of the spring cleaning."