I locked the doors to L'Amore, dismissing the staff for a paid day off. I needed to be alone with myself. Moving to the DJ panel, I switched on the music, and lowered the lights, allowing spots to spin in slow circles on the parquet flooring. Slipping off my heels, I felt the cool wood beneath my feet as I walked to the center. I let the music infuse my form as I moved to the beat. The multi-colored skirt swirled around my legs as I let myself feel every stretch and leap of the dance. Although the moves were old as time, they felt new to me. The tears fell as I remembered every part of my past, leading up to that moment I got the message Eric was dead.
Collapsing to the floor at the end, I curled into a ball, sobbing in the silence. "Why did you have to go away?" My voice was barely a whisper. I wanted to close L'Amore to the world. This was our place, inspired by our love. It seemed futile to keep something so meaningful alive. So, I ran.
