Things We Said Today

Epilogue

HAVE YOU ever glanced at a stranger and known from that singular moment that they were going to mean something to you? That they would alter the course of your life? Have you ever felt the gravitational pull shift from your feet to a set of unfamiliar eyes? Yeah, me neither. The red string of fate, Zeus splitting everyone in half, all that bullshit... It is bullshit, right? Obviously. A Hollywood brainwashing epidemic and life purpose of the optimistic. Sad. Or perhaps it is me that's sad.

I don't know when it started, but people have always told me I'm a pessimist, even before the notion held any meaning to me. How was I expected to change the way I viewed the world? Isn't that innate? Nature versus nurture, perhaps. I prefer the term realistic... but then again, I'm pretty sure all pessimists say that.

Soulmates can't exist because if they did, you wouldn't know you'd met yours unless you had also met the other 7.53 billion people that occupy the planet. What if your soulmate was 20 years younger than you? 30 years? 50? What if they hadn't even been fucking born yet? What if you didn't speak the same language? What if your soulmate... was Donald fucking Trump? Someone's is... according to the legend. And that— that's why I know it's bullshit. Divorce rates also factor in there somewhere, but whatever... I'm a millennial, we don't get married. We also don't own houses or ever pay off our student debt, but who's counting? At least we'll get to witness the inevitable end of the human race. That's exciting.

My attention was ripped from the front page of my manuscript as the bedroom door squeaked open.

"Ready to go?" Jude asked as he peeked into the room.

I nodded, tossing the thick folder of papers onto the bed, and meeting him at the door.

He flashed me a lopsided grin, leaning down to place a kiss on the top of my head as he intertwined his fingers with mine.

We hopped on the N toward downtown, shuffling out of the packed train as it rumbled to a stop in front of Richard Gamble Memorial Park.

Nora was waiting in front of Finnegans when we arrived, bouncing up and down like an excitable puppy when she saw us in the distance.

"Oh my god, hi!" She spat out, pulling us both into crushing hugs the moment we got close enough for her to embrace us. "I missed you guys so much!" She stammered, squeezing me hard enough that I fought for breath for a moment before she released me.

"We missed you." I smiled at my best friend, she was glowing, a bit tanner than she had been the last time I had seen her.

"I thought the Pacific Northwest was rainy all the time, how did you manage to tan?" Jude asked through a chuckle.

"I wasn't cooped up in a fucking cubicle all day. I could really get used to this whole remote working thing. Also, global warming." She added with a shrug.

I shook my head, following her into the bar. We ordered drinks at the counter, then carried them outside, where Eli, Evie and Jason already occupied the table in the right corner.

Eli stood up as soon as we were close enough for him to pull Jude into a hug.

"I missed you, man." He said, patting Jude's back.

Evie, ever graceful, carefully twisted herself around and stood up, brushing off the front of her skirt before she pulled me into a stiff hug.

"How's Santa Cruz?" I asked her as I pulled back.

"So weird." She exhaled. "I found an amazing yoga group last weekend, though."

I let out a chuckle, some things never changed.