Aurora sat there in silence. I watched her closely as she stared at me, waiting for me to say something about the bomb she just dropped.

“Carlie, did you hear me? Sam left and we are getting a divorce.”

I looked at her cautiously, trying to gauge my response. “I just can’t believe it. I am so sorry, Aurora.”

As her best friend of seven years, I felt many emotions, predominantly hurt and angry with myself that I hadn’t know about the drinking and abuse she had suffered over the course of their seven year relationship.

For our entire friendship Sam had been in her life, and subsequently mine. I had actually met her because of Sam. There was a brief period in my own history where I dated Sam’s younger brother, Greg. A period I would like to forget, but that’s a different story.

I had watched them reconnect at a party, after years of not seeing each other. I didn’t know Aurora well, but I could feel the spark between them.

She quickly became part of the family and when Greg and I broke up, and I was without a place to live, her and Sam took me in. At the time, Sam was working out of town, so he wasn’t around enough for me to see anything.

I realized I was lost in thought, and I was just awkwardly staring at my best friend, whose heart was broken. I had no idea what to do.

“I am very glad you told me to bring some wine,” I said as I headed over to the kitchen to grab a bottle opener. “I an just so sad and so sorry, I had no idea any of this was happening. I mean, we all joked about how much Sam drank but honestly none of us ever knew it was a problem.”

“Well,” Carlie replied, “that is because I didn’t want you to. Honestly, it was easier to forget about it or brush it under the rug. It’s not like he was hitting me, you know? He would just drink too much, too often and make dumb decisions and then take it out on me. I have always felt I was the problem, and honestly with him leaving, I kind of believe it.”

Aurora started tearing up. Setting the now full wine glasses down, I walked over and took her into my arms.

“It’s going to be okay, you’ve got this. You’ve also got me and a whole gaggle of family and friends that love you. We will be right here every step of the way.”

Aurora looked up and me through tear filled eyes, and with a small glimmer of a sad smile she said, “I guess this is the first day to the rest of my life.”