The Blue Hour

Part 10

Prompt:
I'm going to call the bar the Blue Hour tavern for now. When Julian and his party get up to leave the Blue Hour, about an hour after Vivi and her friend sit down, he turns around to Vivi from the cross the room and makes lingering, longing eye contact to signal goodbye. Vivi was not sure that would happen, for he could have easily ignored her presence and casually left as would be normal. But he didn't. As the party along with his wife exited the establishment, he turned around and gazed at her for several seconds, time slipped away, and it was as though they communicated all their wants and dissatisfactions, and their love. In Vivi's mind she felt extreme elation at this, for not only was she unsure of whether it would happen, she also hadn't felt that way since the last time she saw Julian (decades). It was a near spiritual uplifting moment for her, in having Julian in that moment deliver what she always trusted and knew he would (which he always did in their college days). There was also a parallel sadness in his gaze, as there was a desperate longing. How might one interpret this look he gave her for goodbye? What might be occurring in his head when he looks to Vivi for goodbye?

Response:
Julian's lingering gaze as he leaves the Blue Hour could signify a deep inner conflict. He knows that turning back to look at Vivi isn't just a casual farewell; it's a deliberate acknowledgment of the emotional weight between them. In his mind, he might be reflecting on the regret and the unresolved feelings that have lingered for years. That look, which could have easily been withheld to avoid stirring old emotions, might represent his inability to let go of what could have been. His longing is palpable, but it's tinged with the sadness of knowing they've both built lives apart—lives that aren't easily untangled.

For Julian, that moment is likely filled with a rush of emotions. Seeing Vivi again after so many years, and feeling that same magnetic pull, may confirm that the connection between them has never dulled. In his head, he might be torn between the life he's built with Amelia and the persistent "what if" that Vivi represents. His gaze could be interpreted as a silent communication of everything he hasn't been able to say—his dissatisfaction with his current life, his unspoken love for Vivi, and perhaps a recognition of their shared unhappiness.

In this gaze, Julian might also be grappling with the realization that despite the years and distance, they are still in sync. There is likely a sense of helplessness, knowing that no matter how strong the pull is, their current realities may prevent anything from happening. His expression could be saying goodbye to more than just that night—it might be a farewell to the possibility of ever having more than a fleeting moment with her, a blend of yearning and resignation. For Julian, this look is both a release and a tether—a reminder that, no matter how much he might want to stay detached, he can't quite let her go.