A Time To Love

Chapter 3: "Meeting Again"

Daniel had found himself back to where the trouble had first begun. The pub. It was
an old bar, hidden amongst all the other buildings and shops on main street. Unless
you looked close, you might miss it, which was exactly what the people of Maple
Grove wanted. The place was run by a tough old scottsman by the name of John
Wilson. Daniel just called him Wilson, though, as that was what his mother had
always called the man herself. Daniel had known Wilson for a long while, but it
wasn't until the year before that he started to know him as his bartender, and not
just an old family friend.
"Daniel. Don't tell me you're back again for more?" Wilson greeted him, "You look
pretty good today, I must say. Considering, you got the snot beat out of you
yesterday." Wilson chuckled heartily, but Daniel just rolled his eyes.
"I got a few punches in myself, too. He just distracted me, is all."
"Is that so?" Wilson poured Daniel his usual, a glass of strong whiskey, and handed it
to him over the counter.
"Wilson...I got a problem."
"I know you do. Here I'll take the drink away then." He pulled it away with Daniel
grabbing it right back and saying, "I didn't mean like that."
"What is it then?"
"I met a girl."
"Oh, and that's news? Sounds like a normal Tuesday to me."
"Wilson, could you be serious for one moment?"
He laughed. Daniel always thought him to be too jolly of a bartender, "Okay, okay,
okay. We'll be serious..." He concurred before adding in flippantly, "almost as
serious as your drinking problem."
"Wilson..."
"Sorry. Go on."
Daniel took a swig of his drink before telling the story of the beautiful woman who
had helped him after his drunken bar fight. Wilson couldn't be more amused by it.
"...Okay, so what's the problem, Daniel?"
"I don't even know if she's real. Maybe she was an angel, or a spirit, or something. It
was like she came and went in a blink of an eye, leaving no trace, and worse yet, no
one knows, or will tell me, who she is."
"I don't think the problem is whether, or not, she's real. She probably is. But, be
honest, Daniel, you were drunk out of your mind, young man. She could've been an
ugly ogre of a woman, and you probably would've imagined her to be the absolute
opposite. Maybe no one knows her cause you don't even know what she looks like
yourself." Wilson was laughing again, although Daniel wasn't.
"I wasn't that drunk, Wilson." Daniel assured, taking another sip, "Sure, maybe she
won't be as beautiful as I imagine her, but I must know. If she is an ogre, then fine.
At least, I'll know. That's what I hate; not knowing."
"Just be paitent, Daniel. I'm sure you'll see her again. That is if you can stay sober
enough to actually recognize her."
"Wilson...I'm up to here with you."
It was going to be a long night. For both of them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Audrey could hear them downstairs. Katherine and Rachel were fighting like they
had been for quite some time. They had always gotten into little tiffs at times, like
siblings do, but since the incident with Rachel, the fights became more frequent,
and now, with the death of their parents, it had gotten even worse. Katherine had
always been straight-laced, and Rachel had become a rebellious sort. Katherine had
too many rules, and Rachel didn't want to follow a single one of them.
Audrey could hear their muffled voices, and eventually, the sound of a slamming
door. Audrey put her bible down beside her and scurried to the window in her
bedroom, peering out of it to see Rachel running down the street in the pouring
rain.
"Rachel! What in the world is she doing?"
Audrey put on her robe and ran downstairs.
"-she'll come back eventually." Katherine was saying to Henry, who was rubbing his
temples, and not saying a word in response.
"What happened?" Audrey questioned, to which Katherine turned to her, and said
with little sympathy, "Rachel's just had another one of her outburts."
Henry finally spoke up, "Katherine dear, you can't act like you didn't have a hand in
it."
Katherine glared at her husband in a manner to say that it would've been better for
him to have kept his mouth shut, "I was only telling her the truth!"
"And, what's the truth, Katherine?" Audrey inquired.
"She's got silly ideas, that's what. She thinks she's going to write some grand novel,
and sell millions of copies. It's absurd!"
"There's nothing wrong with having a dream, Katherine. We should be encouraging
her-"
"Have you read the things she writes?! She most certainly shouldn't be encouraged.
She's got the ideas of a heretic, Audrey. All I told her was that she's 21, and she
needs to get out and find a real way of life. That, or she shouldn't be living in this
house, getting charity from us."
"Oh, Katherine. Have you no compassion? Did you think that maybe Rachel's going
through a tough time right now?"
"We all are, Audrey." Katherine stated firmly, "But, at least, you are making
something worth while of yourself, and Emily and Irene have bright futures ahead
of them, if they stay on the right path, that is. Rachel, on the other hand-" Katherine
just shook her head.
"Well, I'm going after her." Audrey finally said.
Katherine grabbed her wrist, preventing her from going any further, "No, you're not.
You'll stay here. Rachel needs to learn. Besides, it's not like I forced her out."
"Katherine, please don't forget, first and foremost, we're sisters. We're not each
other's enemies."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day had come, and Rachel still hadn't returned. Audrey had stayed up late
into the night, praying for her sister's safety. Despite her weariness, she still had to
go about her day, and attend her classes as usual. She knew Rachel, and she knew
she was a strong girl. She would be fine. She hoped.
Audrey headed to school on her normal path, or what had become her normal path
after two weeks of walking along it. She reached mainstreet. She couldn't help but
think of that poor drunk man she had met the week prior, and hoped he had
learned his lesson to never drink again and to not get in fights, but she figured it
mustn't be that easy, or he wouldn't have been caught in it in the first place.
Audrey looked at the different shops that surrounded her. A barber's, a butcher's,
cafes and diners, and her beloved book store. Main street was a magical place, and
she got lost in the awe of it all. Her moment of pure bliss was swiftly disturbed,
when she hit a wall, well, not exactly a wall. It only felt that way.
"Oh, I'm so sor-" She looked up and saw him, and he saw her. They both lit up.
"You're -"
"The girl."
"...the man."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daniel couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, right in front of him. The girl who
had helped him in his time of need. The angel he thought he had just imagined. She
was real, and not only that, she was just as he remembered her in his dreams. To
him, she was perfect.
"I've been trying to find you." He admitted.
"You have?"
"Yes, but it seemed nearly impossible."
"Well, here I am." Audrey did a twirl and added, "in the flesh. I must say, you look a
lot different without a bloody nose and a black eye."
He found her sweet giggle to be contagious. He couldn't help but laugh too, although technically, it was at his own expense.
"I suppose I didn't make a good first impression."
"What do you mean? You're a total gentleman." She flattered him. He thought his
heart would beat so fast that it would pop out of his chest at that moment.
"Are you sure about that? I was drunk and battered when you met me. I'm surprised
you didn't run away in fear or call the constable to come haul me away."
"Oh, well, I'm not talking about then." She stated.
He raised his eyebrows with curiosity, "Oh?"
"I'm talking about now. To me, this is our first real meeting."
"That's very poetic of you." She just laughed, reminding him of an important detail,
"Oh, I just realized...I never got your name."
She smiled softly, "Audrey. Audrey Harris." She held her hand out to him, with him
taking it as she added, "And, yours?"
"Daniel Bouchard."
"Well, Mr. Bouchard. It was pleasant to meet you."
"Just Daniel will do, Miss. Harris."
"Okay... Daniel. And, just Audrey will do for me."
Their hands parted, and Daniel barely wanted to let go.
"Thank you, by the way. For what you did."
"Don't mention it."
"Can I ask you one thing, though?"
"What's that?"
"Why? Why did you help me?" He inquired. Unable to accept that someone would
go out of their way for someone like him.
"Because," She began, "God loves you."
Daniel let out a short, dubious chuckle, "What do you mean by that."
"You'll figure it out one day." She smiled before continuing, "I'm sorry. I must be
going. I'm running late for class. It really was nice to see you again -"
"Wait! I have to thank you somehow...for what you did. Let me take you out for
lunch, or something."
"It's alright. There's no need. I really should be going."
He had desperation in his eyes, "I can't let you go without doing my part as well.
Please. Let me treat you in some way."
Audrey saw the sincerity he beheld. She pondered it, feeling a sudden pang in her
heart, "Alright." She finally said. "How about tomorrow, at this same time? We can
meet right here?"
"That's perfect. I'll see you tomorrow then, Audrey."
"Same here, Daniel."
He watched as she smiled and skipped away, leaving Daniel in a perpetual state of
bliss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow came quicker than Audrey expected. She had put on a powder blue
ensemble, complete with a flowered hat, and white gloves. She looked ravishing, so
much so, her sisters couldn't help but question where she was going before she left.
'Out for lunch' was all she had answered.
She met him just where they had promised. She had come early, but yet he was still
there before her.
"Daniel."
"Oh, Audrey." He greeted, smiling widely, "You came."
"I sure did."
"Shall we go inside?"
"I think so."
She followed him into the local cafe, named Tilly's, after Matilda Holloway, the
woman who had run the place for nearly 20 years. It was a quaint little place. Audrey
couldn't help but fancy it.
The pair sat and chatted over cups of tea and bisquits. They talked about random
things at first. Things that didn't hold much weight. Audrey told Daniel of her
studies to become a nurse, which he thought was quite commendable. Daniel then
informed Audrey that he worked at a local factory in town that produced glass
bottles. He wasn't super proud of his work, but Audrey made it seem as though he
was doing the world a real good by what he did. He couldn't tell whether she was
just saying it to be nice, or if she really did believe it. The more he talked to her
though, the more he believed it was the latter.
It got quiet for a moment, seeming as though they had run out of things to say.
Daniel spoke up, "Audrey, what exactly did you mean yesterday? When you said why
you helped me."
"Oh, that?"
"Yes. I have to admit, I still don't quite get it." He admitted to her, awaiting her
response.
"Well, we love because God first loved us." She started, setting the stage, and
completely drawing his attention, "I believe that the only reason we can love, or be
compassionate, is because God himself is those things. He is the best, and only
example of what real, true love is. And, although we're not God, and we can't love
like he does, we can imitate it. We should imitate it, especially if we ourselves have
experienced God's love firsthand. Through God's love, I've come to love him, and
through loving him, I've come to love the things he loves... and he loves you. It
wouldn't have been an act of love, or service to God, if I had passed you on the
street that day. I couldn't leave you there. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I
had. It's as simple as that."
"I have to admit, that's probably one of the more profound things I've heard in
awhile," He began, and continued, "but, I'd also be lying if I said I completely
believed it."
"What part?"
"That God would love me."
"And, why wouldn't he, Daniel?"
"Well, let's just say...I've done some things. I don't even really know if I believe in
God." He admitted, shifting in his seat nervously, "I used to. I really did, but
now...I'm not so sure anymore."
"Well, I can't force you to believe it, but just know that God wouldn't love you any
less because of your past mistakes or because of your lack of belief. If you ever wish
to come back to him," Her bright blue eyes shined as she said it, "He's there. Arms
wide open for you. You can count on that."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They exited the shop together, enthralled by their chat.
"I had a lovely time." He told her, making her smile.
"Me as well."
"Uhh..I-" He stammered, "I was wondering...if you'd like to do this again sometime?"
"I'm sorry, I can't." She said it plainly, with that sweet smile of hers, splayed across
her face.
"What?"
"I really should be going now. My sisters will worry sick if I'm not back soon. Take
care of yourself, alright."
Daniel just stood there, not saying a word, for no words seemed right to say in that
moment.
"Goodbye, Daniel."
"... Goodbye."