The Good Old Days

June 1999 (It Made Me Miss Something)

Another summer had arrived, and students had returned home from their dorms. George, who had just finished up his last year in college, was back in New York for a while. He planned to return to California in a few weeks since he had recently bought an apartment of his own there. It had taken George some time to recover from the break up, but he pulled through. After seeing Cathy with a new man, and a new baby three summers ago, George was finally able to put their relationship in the past and move on, too. He focused on his schoolwork, adjusting to life in California, and making new friends. Just last fall, he met a new girl, a cat named Trisha Purrtas, who was in his design class. She was a sorority girl who was a year older than him, and she really liked to party. Though, one of the things that really caught George's attention was her captivating, bubblegum pink eyes.

They both had been eyeing each other in class for a while when she finally approached him about two months into the semester. She invited him to a party that was off-campus and he, of course, agreed to go. That was the first time they hooked up, and soon after they officially started dating. George was sure that things were looking up now. He had a new girl, and he felt excitement towards this adventurous new relationship. George frequented sorority parties with her just about every weekend. The one thing he began to notice was how much she drank. She was like a sailor with it. George was no stranger to drinking, partying, and having a good time, he and Cathy had gotten drunk together before, too, but Trisha was different. She never seemed to ever want to be sober. There had been several times she had passed out and George had to drag her home. He didn't like it, but he tolerated it. At some point, he figured she'd come to her senses and cut it down.

January rolled around and that meant yet another party. A New Years' one at the sorority house. As usual, George was accompanying her, both as a date and to make sure she would be safe. It was getting close to midnight, and she was still relatively sober, but she was getting frisky. It wasn't the first time she and George broke off from a party and stole themselves away to a bedroom. The two went at it for quite a while. Their moans and grunts had been drowned out by the music and all the other noise going on. George had reached his breaking point and finished. When he pulled out, he noticed something that made his heart race.

The condom broke.

So, here was George, now back home. While Trisha was still back in California, pregnant with their child, which was due in October. They had broken up a couple months after they found out, but he remained committed for the child's sake. He had a hard time breaking her of her habits, and was nervous being so far away from where he could keep an eye on her. George just hoped she would stay sober long enough for the baby to be born with no issues.

For the time being, he tried to put that out of his mind as he spent some time with his parents, trying to enjoy their company while he was still in town. Today, he was going to a picnic with them.

 "Saint Barbara's, Mom? Really?" George asked.

"They always throw such a nice picnic, please Georgie? It's been years now," his mother said in response, "Dad and I would reallllyy want you to come with us."

George thought about it for a minute, he would be flying back to California again soon, and now that he lives there. He doesn't always have the opportunity to spend time with his parents like he used to. He could try to put aside the awkwardness. For them.

"Fine.. let's go," he said.

George was feeling like a teenager again as he sat in the backseat of his dad's car, who pulled into the all too familiar church parking lot. George felt strange, but he tried to bury it as he stepped out of the car and followed his parents to an empty picnic table.

George recognized so many of the people he was seeing as familiar faces of his youth. He saw one of Cathy's older brothers, Cillian. He was with another collie woman, who George presumed was his wife. George kept his eyes peeled for Catherine, not wanting to accidentally run into her, he was on high alert.

But before he could even sit down with his parents.

"George!?" her voice called out, "George!"

He turned around and saw her. She was standing under a red and white striped tent wearing a purple dress. He looked at his Mom with a told you so look. She only shrugged with a smile in response.

"Get over here!" Cathy beckoned, the excitement quite clear in her tone.

George winced as he caught a glimpse of the brown furred, tall collie man who once again stood next to her. He walked over to them anyway.

"George," she said, "my Dog, it's so crazy you're here!"

"Hey, Cathy," George said, "Yeah, I came with my parents, you know how they love these things, heh."

"Yes of course! I still see them around all time," Cathy said.

"Heh, I'm sure," George replied.

"But I never see you with them, it's been so long," she said.

"It definitely has, hasn't it.." George replied.

"This is my husband, Joseph," Cathy introduced, she gestured her hand between George and Joe, "We just got married in May after I graduated."

Joe took George's hand into his own and shook it, as he told him it was nice to meet him. George noticed his strong grip.

"Just last month?" George asked, glancing down at Catherine's belly without saying another word.

"Yes, yes," Cathy said, taking note of George's gaze, "we do have another baby on the way. I'm due in October. Kyle here is going to be a big brother," she said, putting her hand on the small boy's head, tussling his fur up a bit.

Kyle. George thought.

He looked down at the little boy with the big green eyes looking up at him. The child stood by Cathy's legs. He knew that he had to be approaching three years old, since he saw him in the mall, his first summer home from college. He couldn't believe how big he's gotten since then. George could barely even tell that much time had passed but standing in front of him was a living testimony to the years gone by.

"Wow, October," George said, thinking about his own child due in October. Albeit, under much different circumstances, he wasn't going to mention that now, though, "Congratulations, Cath, I'm happy for you."

"Thank you," she said, her eyes looking genuine and sweet. "What have you been up to all these years?"

"I just graduated too," George said.

"So you must be done with California now, then?" Cathy asked.

"I actually just got my own place there a couple months ago," he replied, "Do you know what you're having?" George added, trying to divert the questions off of himself.

Cathy looked at Joe and then back at George, biting her lip.

"Well.... We were keeping it a secret, but if you're going back to California, I guess it wouldn't hurt.. If you promise not to tell," Cathy smiled.

George gave a soft, but slightly sorrowful smile in return as he nodded.

"It's a little girl~" Cathy whispered, holding down the ears of her son Kyle, who tried to sneak a listen.

That's when little Kyle started to get upset at not being able to hear what the grown ups were saying, so before he could have a tantrum, Joe picked him up and walked him out from under the tent. Leaving George and Cathy alone.

"You know George?" Cathy peeped up again, "It's really nice to see you again."

"Yeah... I'm glad you saw me," George said with a sigh, "I don't know if I would have come over to say hi on my own," He admitted.

Cathy then pulled George in for a quick hug.

"Keep in touch, you Californian Cat, you know where to find me."

Then she was gone, stepping out from the tent and into the sun, following after her little family. Being back in their old stomping ground. Seeing her again. So many memories they shared in this parking lot. It really made George miss something, something long lost in the both of them now. George just turned around and found his way back to the picnic table that his parents were sitting at and joined them there once again.