I'm giving the Romantic Friday Writers Challenge another try. This week's theme: I should have kissed you. Here goes...
He looked at himself in the mirror, all suited up and ready for his date. It has been years since the last time he went out. He wondered if he was still up to it. Dates were for young people. It was for people who had a future ahead of them, had a reason to live. If it wasn’t for Annie, he wouldn’t have agreed to this set up. He was too old for such idiosyncrasies.
He looked at himself in the mirror, all suited up and ready for his date. It has been years since the last time he went out. He wondered if he was still up to it. Dates were for young people. It was for people who had a future ahead of them, had a reason to live. If it wasn’t for Annie, he wouldn’t have agreed to this set up. He was too old for such idiosyncrasies.
“This is crazy, Annie. I’d look stupid at this dating game. I wouldn’t even know what to do,” Michael said, almost begging.
“You don’t need to do anything. Just be yourself and enjoy,” Annie said as she fixed her brother’s tie in place.
Michael knew Annie meant well. But as he entered the restaurant an hour later, he felt a lump in his throat. Suddenly, his mouth had gone dry. This is silly, he thought to himself, I feel like a teenager going to the prom! He promised himself he’d never let Annie fix him up again.
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“Michael?”
Michael turned at the soft voice behind him. Michael couldn’t believe his eyes. It was her, after all these years! She was as beautiful as he remembered. Her face was bright and the soft wrinkles around her eyes only made her more attractive.
“Sweet Pea?” the words were out even before Michael realized saying them. But it was too late now to take them back.
“Oh, I haven’t been called that in a long time!” she smiled, blushed even at the recollection of the name.
“I’m sorry... I never thought I’d see you again. How are you?” Michael asked, as the waiter led them to a corner table overlooking the sea.
“I’m good! Getting old like everybody else, I guess,” she teased.
“That’s true but the years seem to have been kinder to you,” Michael said, wanting to touch her, to see if he wasn’t dreaming and that she was really here with him.
For the first time in years, Michael felt alive. The evening was a daze but he didn’t care. He let her talk. He liked the sound of her voice. She married soon after college, had kids, and now lived in the old house by the sea.
“You’re back in the old house? Here in town? Since when?” he asked, surprised.
She smiled, amused. Michael could have kicked himself but thought he’d look sillier if he even tried to pretend.
“Mom wanted to sell the old house but I couldn’t get around to doing it after she passed away. Then after Brida, my youngest, got married and left home, I thought it better to sell the house I shared with the kids and keep Mom’s house instead.”
“You’re resettling here?” Michael asked, almost in disbelief.
“Is anything wrong with that? What about you? Why are you back here?” her question sounded like a challenge, like when she used to dare him in their never-ending arguments.
Michael remembered it was this friendly banter that had brought them together before. He had almost forgotten how much he enjoyed them. Now, they seem to be making up for lost time.
“It’s good to see you again Michael,” her eyes looked into his, asking what had been unanswered for so long.
“I should have kissed you that night before you left...” his voice trailed, “but best friends don’t kiss each other.”
“We’re not best friends anymore now, are we?”
A pianist struck some keys on the piano. A haunting love song filled the air. For the couple at the corner table, nothing else mattered.
Word Count: 600
Linked up with Romantic Friday Writers
Word Count: 600
Linked up with Romantic Friday Writers
