A Suitcase Story

 I step off the plane.
    
'this is it.' I think, shifting my backpack onto my other shoulder. As I step out of the heavily conditioned, overly breathed air of the airport, and inhale the sweet fresh scent of the forest, I smile. I missed home, and now I miss her. . .but at least I'm home. I call an uber and a few minutes later I'm comfortably situated in the back of the car, my backpack and travel blanket on the seat beside me.
   
when I get to the hotel (a kinda sketchy place I had only chosen for the low price) I check in with the very grumpy teen receptionist, and go up to my room. Via the stairs, apparently they don't even have an elevator here. When I reach my room, number 17, I open the door to find an abandoned suitcase, just sitting right in front of the door, like it was ready to go. I'm a very curious person, but I tend to respect other people's privacy. so I just push it aside, drop my bag on the thick carpet, and fling myself onto the bed.
    
I try to take a nap, but it feels like the suitcase is staring at me, practically daring me to open it. Like I said before, I'm a curious person, and sometimes my curiosity can get the best of me. When I open the suitcase the first thing I see is a pair of crumpled up mismatching socks, one white and black checkered, the other a pale blue. next my eyes stray towards the medium black sweatshirt with the tufts of what looked like cat hair all over it. and then I saw a half eaten bar of almond toffee chocolate. I look up wondering why these things feel so familiar to me, looking back down at them I notice a worn, scribble covered notebook, I recognize that notebook. . . .that's, but it can't be, suddenly everything falls into place, I understand why I found the other objects so familiar before, I reach deeper into the suitcase and pull out a framed picture, a picture of myself, and her.

She was here. Probably looking for me, like she always is. I look down at the photo, we were so happy, scarves waving in the fall wind, and leaves caught in her hair. I don't know why I left. I hug the picture to my chest unmoving, unthinking, just feeling. and trying to understand. 
    
"so, you found it." the voice comes from behind me, I spin around, picture still held close, but when I see who spoke I let it slip out of my hand. It's her. "I thou-"
   
I launch myself at her, cutting off what she was about to say. she seems surprised by my sudden embracement of her, but she accepts it, we stay that way for a little bit, just hugging, supporting, and eventually breaking down and crying into each other's shoulders. 

"I, I still love you." I whisper, my voice breaking.

"I love you too." she says, planting a kiss on the very tip of my nose, "but you really need a tissue."