It was a cold day, the ground still soaked from the rain that had occurred the day prior. The streets seemed empty with only a few pedestrians walking along the sidewalk. One of these few was Brian, he continued along his route as any other person would yet with a nagging sensation in the back of his head telling him just to turn around and go back home to his warm apartment where he could curl up in front of the television. Despite this urge he continued walking, after all he had promised to come, promised to talk, promised to meet.
He walked down a steep hill, then at the center, cut across to a garden off to side. The bright flowers waved to him as the wind whistled in his ear. It had been long since he had walked along the gravel of this place, the stones crunch under his feet as he moved around, taking in the beauty of his surroundings. He couldn’t help but smile, it hadn’t been long, it had been too long since he had entered these grounds. He then turned his head and stop dead in his tracks. His smiled faded quickly as he then remembered why he had stopped himself from returning, why he never wanted to come back. There in front of him were two white chairs, to anyone they were simple chairs, to him they were something else, something he didn’t like.
“I can’t stay, if I do, it’s another missed chance.”
“It’s not a missed chance, it’s just another path for you to take.”
“It’s more than just a path, it’s a future and if I don’t take it then I might as well shoot myself.”
Brian pulled himself out from his head. He pondered why he had decided to come back for a few moments, then he realized that he was the only one in this garden. He could leave and it would be like he had never shown up in the first place. He turned to execute this plan and in an instant it was shattered.
“Been awhile, eh Brian?”
Brian looked towards her, she was exactly as he remembered her, bright blond hair cut just above the shoulders, blue eyes comparable to sapphires, there wasn’t a doubt, it was her.
“Yeah, it has?” He responded looking at her.
She nodded then looked to the clouds, “What now, seven years since we last saw one another?”
“Sounds about right.”
She looked back at him, “Still, it looks like time hasn’t shaped you in anyway.”
“Only paid me in knowledge… and wealth. You look nice.”
“Oh shut up, you really think I can take a compliment from you.”
He turned his gaze towards the rocks he was planted on, “No… I don’t think so, I was just trying to be nice and-“
“Nice, you were trying to be nice, what would have been nice, is if you stayed.”
“Oh come on, you can’t hold that against me.” He stated looking at her.
She shook her head, “Did you even give us a thought… No, you only saw dollar signs and you choose that over us. God, why did I even want to meet with you, what did I expect?”
“An answer perhaps?” Brian stated turning to the chairs, he walked towards the farthest one and sat in it. The woman looked at him confused.
“Come on, let’s talk.”
She sighed, shaking her head. She then walked towards the empty chair and took a seat.
“Where should we begin?” Brian asked.
“Why you left, there were plenty of opportunities for you here, but you left and took that other offer. Why?”
“I was young, I was ambitious, I wanted the world. There were opportunities here yet, I felt that I could rule if I took the path I choose. Turns out, I was almost right. I was a part of so many projects, most of my ambitions were fulfilled and I got rich.”
“You choose all of that over us?”
“I was almost right. Yet all those years ago you never let me finish my pitch, you cut me off short.”
“What do you mean?”
“You saw two paths for me to take. One with you, here, and another one without you, out there. I saw a third.” Brian reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to her.
She looked at him then turned her attention to the crumpled paper, she unfolded it and read it to herself. “It’s just a plane ticket from seven years ago, so what.”
“That you’re wrong, it was supposed to be your plane ticket.”
“What?” She stated, shocked.
“It’s rather simple actually, I had already made my choice on my path. The company then provided me housing and a plane ticket. I then exchanged the first class ticket for two business class tickets.”
“Why didn’t you-“
“I fondly remember you saying, never call, never come near, I never ever want to see you again, not even at my funeral.”
The women looked at the ticket, and then handed it back to him shaking her head. “Well… damn.”
He nodded, looking at her. She looked to the ground and then up at the flowers.
“Now, what?” She simply asked.
“I don’t know.” He responded.
The two remained sitting in silence, watching the flowers dance to the music of the wind. Brian then sighed knowing what he should do, he then looked once more at her as she looked to him.
“You want to get a coffee or something?” He asked.
She looked back at him, “Are you asking me out?”
Brian looked at her and slowly nodded, “Sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes we have the chance to undo them. So what do you say?”
She looked at him for a moment, staring silently, until finally she nodded standing up. “Fine, come along Bry, we have some history to fix.”
He smiled and stood up, letting her lead them out of the garden and back to the path where they continued their walk. Brian finally relieved of the nagging thoughts which once danced in his head.
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