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Dina swayed in her wooden rocking chair, on the front porch, J.J. in arms like she always did during sunset. Behind her the windows were open and a record was spinning in the living room. The music took her back to her special night with Ellie. The first time their lips touched and they felt their relationship move to a place they never knew possible.
Now, Dina sat alone. Except for J.J.’s gentle cooing to accompany her.
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Just under three months had gone by since Ellie left in the middle of the night. Right after she left, Dina packed a bag. She was ready to chase after her. To keep her promise ‘ Wherever you go, I go.’. She figured she could leave J.J. with Jessie’s parents, and save her love from herself. It was when she really sat herself down and realized the crazy in her plan that she put her things back, and accepted Ellie’s choice.0
That night Dina laid restless in her bed. Her only attempts of sleeping were interrupted by intrusive thoughts of Ellie and, potentially, the rest of her life without her. For a while, she was angry. Though that anger never really went away. She couldn’t fathom what went through Ellie’s mind when she decided to leave her wife and child behind. Joel was gone, and Dina understood Ellie’s pain. It was similar to the pain she endured when her sister died. But what she didn’t understand was her constant need for revenge.
They almost died at the theater. Ellie’s arm was shattered, Dina’s shoulder was impaled and she was severely concussed. Ellie supported Dina’s weight with her only good shoulder, and, together, they slowly made their way to the main lobby.
The memory still haunts her. Walking through the velate doors to find Jessie sprawled out on the floor with a hole in his head, blood splatters covered the wall behind him. The scene seemed like a concussion-induced hallucination at first. But when Ellie dropped to the floor crying, it finally became reality.
Her world crumbled in front of her. Although Dina had already found her love, Jessie was her best friend. The father of her child. Her knees collapsed from under her and she found herself unconscious once again.
She awoke after a full day had gone by, on the back of a horse in Ellie’s arms. Although Tommy was now half-blind, Ellie refused to let Dina out of her sight. So, together, in the most uncomfortable position, Ellie let Dina weep into her shoulder. After a treacherous journey, they arrived home to Jackson and started their new life together.
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The cool breeze brushed against her cheeks and she looked out upon the horizon. Dina’s back ached. Chores that used to be shared were now all on her, and she was drowning. The trees swayed with the wind, and the closer she looked, she began to see a figure by the front gate.
There had been no visitors in over a month, part of her was intrigued. The rest was terrified. Dina stood and rushed J.J. inside, back to his room.
She grabbed her hunting rifle and peeked out from the front door window. The figure was far, but she could see them opening the gate. From what she could see they were unarmed, so she opened the door and took a more intimidating stance. Pointing the rifle at them.
She expected them to stop. Or even hesitate, but they continued on. Their head hung low. Their hair reminded her of Ellie’s. But this person was too thin to be her.
Now they were less than thirty feet away. The dying grass crunched under their weight.
“Stop!” She yelled. They stopped and lifted their head slowly.
Ellie.
“Dina,” She faltered, her voice quivered and her body looked broken. She looked broken.
“Ellie?” Dina almost sobbed, trying to keep her figure. She resisted the urge to run up to her and never let go. Instead, she dropped her gun on the porch and walked up to Ellie.
She stood in front of Ellie studying her face. The unknown scars, sun damage, and the deep sadness in her eyes.
Dina pushed her chest, hard. “Fuck you, Ellie.”
Ellie stumbled back, shocked at the reaction she was receiving. “Fuck you! You fucking asshole!” Dina kept pushing unrelentlessly.
“I’m so sorry” Ellie wept.
“I can’t fucking believe you.” Tears were now uncontrollably streaming from Dina’s eyes. “I thought you were fucking dead!” Instead of shoving her again, Dina left her hands on top of Ellie’s chest.
“I’m so sorry, Dina.” Ellie wrapped her arms around Dina’s body pulling her in tight. “I’m so sorry.”
Dina wasn’t afraid to admit that she had never been more relieved than in that moment.
She stayed in Ellies embrace taking in her scent. But reality had to come back to her eventually.
“You left me.”
Ellie stayed quiet, sorry just couldn’t cut it. Dina pushed away from her hold, “You left me, you left our child, for her!”
“I know,” Ellie faltered
“Do you know the hell you put me through? I had to take care of J.J., the farm. By myself!” She was yelling now.
Ellie was silent.
“You don’t just get to come back like nothing happened.”
“I don’t expect to… But I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.”
Dina stared into her eyes, unsure whether or not to trust her. But she could see the Ellie that she had missed for so long.
“The hell happened to your fingers?” Dina huffed, breaking the silence.
“Abby bit 'em off.” Ellie said lifting them up.
“Deserved” Dina sneered, smiling ever so slightly.