Pebbles: A Collection of Short Stories

Young Again

Lessons are learned every day; they don't cease when you graduate from school. If you pay attention, the greatest educations can come from the quietest of strangers.

The middle is hard. Brian and I were focused on growing our careers, raising our kids, and grasping onto the small pieces of sanity we could. But we suffered. Our relationship, the romance and passion, seemed to always filter to the bottom of the pile. We did all the things you are supposed to and shared so much love, but it wasn't like the addicted-to-passion dating years or the blissfully-happy honeymoon period. We were amid the hold-on-for-dear-life middle.

It was date night. Every Thursday night, we would get a sitter and have dinner, just the two of us. It was a late summer evening where the setting sun gave way to a chilled breeze as we sat at a sidewalk table at a small Italian bistro that overlooked a sidewalk fountain. The music piped in for the dancing water was faintly trickling to our table and frequently drawing our gazes to the water during lulls of our conversation.

We hadn't noticed the older couple at the table next to us, not until they got up to leave. I gave the woman a worn smile as she passed.

She laid a gentle hand on my shoulder and whispered, "the fun returns," with a twinkle in her eyes.

I hadn't expected her to speak to me. The startle made my eyes cling to her and her husband as they headed to the fountain and kicked off their shoes. As though they did it every night, they spun into each other's arms and began dancing amidst the spray.

I hadn't realized that the pair had also hypnotized Brian until he murmured, "we'll be young again, too," as he reached out and grasped my hand.

It was all I needed. We'll get through the middle and we'll be young again too.