She shook her head."She gave me the money to open the shop.This location seemed perfect.There was room to expand, and it was right on the corner.I could see myself there."
"I guess we didn't talk about our families when we were teens.I didn't know that you were close to your grandmother and not your parents."
She smiled shyly."I think we were too busy talking about other things, books I'd read or music you liked.We didn't spend that much time together that we'd have time to delve deep."
And that was my fault.I took it to the next level, then bailed."I don't think I ever officially apologized for standing you up."
She stilled."That's not necessary?—"
"You keep saying that, but I think it is.I knew we weren't right for each other, but there were better ways to handle it.I should have told you that I didn't want to see you instead of standing you up.It was inconsiderate."
She bit her lip and sighed heavily."I'm not sure that apology would have been received any better had you given it then.We were young."
"I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry for that.I don't have an excuse except I freaked out.My friends saw me talking to you and gave me a hard time for being with—" They'd called her anice queen,said she'd never put out.But I wasn't concerned about that.It was the idea that we were too different.I had no business being with her."Someone who was the opposite of me.I got into a lot of trouble back then.I wasn't good for you.I didn't want to drag you down with me."
She was quiet for a few seconds and then said, "I appreciate the apology."
I hadn't planned on apologizing.I figured it was better to be the jerk she expected than to do anything else, but I'd seen her in a different light today.I couldn't keep my walls up when she was sick."It doesn't excuse what I did.My mom taught my brothers and me better than that."
"We all make mistakes."
She was more gracious than I probably would have been in the same circumstances, which only reinforced my belief that she was a better person than me.
I'd taken care of her when she was sick, but it didn't change anything.She still wasn't the woman for me.
