Still hurt

Stella was still in New York in September, especially on the eleventh day of the month. She was in the financial district when she came out of the subway. His heart was beating fast, she had flash that came into his head. She walked to the south and turned a corner she knew it by heart. When she arrived at her destination, she saw the new building. The one world trade center. She was against the project of this new building, the museum also. She found morbidly they built a museum to remember that dark day.

Stella went to the two pools which was formerly the two buildings. She was not feeling well be there. Stella had put a rose on the name of Claire, she stroked with her fingertips her name grave in the marble. She felt someone come behind her.

"I miss her too", Mac said

Stella smiled gently, she knew he would be there.

-I miss all of her, his jokes, his laughter. The parties we had on the beach during weekends. Go see the penguins at the zoo, she never went to see the other animals just penguins.

She chuckled for some memories.

Mac nodded too, he missed the fun days with Claire

Stella looks around, everything was so quiet. Before there were lots of people, it was a real anthill.

-I do not understand their project to rebuild everything as if nothing had happened. A museum ... I just do not understand.

Mac felt the same as she did

There was a ceremony like every year nearby. After they had been to a restaurant, the restaurant they used to go with Claire.

-You remember you when I said I had to take my earlier breaks once a month. It was not for personal worries, it was to see the solds at Century 21. Claire told me that you gonna believe me.

She smiled amused, they were very crazy together. Talk about Claire was difficult with others, but with Mac it was different.

Mac still missed Claire

The smile of Stella disappeared, on the radio there was a song playing. It was the one who had played at the wedding of Mac and Claire, the first dance song. Stella had tears in her eyes remembering that moment like it was yesterday.

Mac still kept the wedding album and the songs from the day and he'd not shown them to Lily at all

-You still have the album? I lost mine when my apartment .... well you know. I need to see her...

She had one too before losing his apartment during an arson.

Mac nodded

Stella was at Mac place after their meal at the restaurant. She knew where he hid the photo album of his marriage. She was sitting on the floor looking at the pictures, sometimes she smiled, sometimes she let a tear roll down her cheek. She ennuiyait many Claire. She was full of memories that came into his head.

-This is my favorite picture of you two.

They were behind a tree and smiling at the camera.

-There is not one day that I would have liked to be in his place ... I didn't have somebody...If I was at her place you guys will still together.

Mac nodded, he showed her an album that he'd kept that had pics of her and Claire together

Stella frown seeing another album. One she had ever seen. When she look at the first photos, she look at him.

-I didn't know about this album. Why I never saw it?

Mac told her that he never knew about it until he found it himself

-You mean she has hidden it?

Stella looked at the pictures of her and Claire younger. She smiled upon seeing a photo she had forgotten over the years. That was when they had graduated from the school. They had much to celebrate in the bar.

Mac found other stuff in the same box

Stella looked at him curious after watching the pictures.

-What's you got?

Mac handed her the box

Stella looked in the box, there were plenty of things that Claire had to keep. She smiled, taking the garter she had worn at his wedding. There were movie tickets, shells. Other pictures, and she found one. She was frozen to see the photo.

Mac looked to her

Stella looked at Mac and she told him

-When Jason told me he knew Claire since he's young, I believe him, but it was like, you know unreal. Like you I must have proof. So, I have proof in my hands.

She showed him the photo, there was Claire and Jason next to the other. They had ten years or so.

Mac wondered the same too

Stella felt the presence of Claire watching her things in the box. There were intimate journals, but Stella didn't read it. She had always respect her privacy.

-When you worked in the laboratory of scientific research, you hope to find Claire.

She sighed quietly watching another picture of her, Claire and Mac at the beach.

-With all the technology we have I can not understand. Two years ago they found fragments of buildings and plane. There may be other places where there is debris. Sometimes I like to make my own investigation...