“I wanted to talk to you before you leave.”
She raises an eyebrow. “How did you know I was going anywhere?”
“I did my research.”
“You shouldn’t be, though.”
“I can’t help it.” I take a few steps closer to her. “I miss you so much it hurts.”
The girl holding the bag politely excuses herself. “I’ll just put your bag right here, Willow. See you in the new year.”
“Thanks, Mandy.”
Mandy raises a hand in greeting to me. “Nice to meet you.”
“Same.”
“I heard you apologized to Kia,” she says to me after Mandy is out of earshot.
“Yes.”
“I think you helped her finally move on. That was the right thing to do.”
“That’s why I did it.”
“It took you a while, though.”
“I’m a slow learner, Teach. You, of all people, should know that.”
I take another step.
“Should we sit?” I ask, looking at how the crutches fit underneath her armpits.
“My car should be here soon.”
“I have a car. I can drive you to the train.”
“You bought a car?”
“It’s Aaron’s car.”
“You two made up?”
“Aaron and I fight, but we’re never not okay. I don’t expect you to understand it. It’s just what we do. I love him like a brother.”
“The way you love is different from what I’m used to.”
“It may be… but it’s steadfast. You’ll never have to worry about it wavering or losing it. That’s another one of my endearing qualities. I’m hard to get rid of.”
I try one more step forward.
Close enough that I can reach out and touch her if she’d just let me.
It doesn’t escape my attention how her breathing pattern changes the closer I move to her. As a football player, I’m acutely aware of a person’s change in affect.
She wants me back.
I can feel it.
