Twisted Knot

Epilogue: New beginnings

One year later

~Paul~

It was just another day for most people, but for me it was the opening of my newest restaurant, Cece's.

Since losing my best friend, and the love of my life, I'd thrown myself into my work. My bank account was heavier, but so was my spirit. Deb, my business partner and favorite Chef, was constantly worrying about me. I told her I'd be fine, and I believe what I'd said. Everything in my life was fine, just fine. Not extraordinary, not incredible, just fine.

I dreamt about her sometimes, imagined her coming back into my life. In a few weak moments I'd called her, but she had changed her number. I didn't know how, but I'd come to realize it was probably time to move on. It was probably time to let Beth go, since she'd clearly moved on. A year was a long time, and I couldn't wait around to live my life like I had after Cece passed away.

But Beth wasn't dead, she was out there, less than an hour away.

I tried to shake the thoughts of her, tried not to wish she Liz was here to celebrate with me. I was on my own, and she knew where to find me if she needed me. Every Tuesday was the most depressing day on the week, waiting for her to show up. She never came, and my heart broke every single time. I was checking some things in the kitchen when Deb shouted for me.  

"Hey Boss," Deb hollered. "You have a visitor, a pretty young woman for you. I didn't know you had a girlfriend...have. You been holding out me?" She was being jovial, but my whole body tensed and my heart felt like it was going to explode. Maybe she'd seen the article about me in the paper.

"What did she look like?" I asked. Deb shrugged and continued cooking. 

"I didn't see her," Deb said. "I'm just passing on the message." I straightened my tie and got my nerve up. I walked out into the lobby and whispered the concierge, and she pointed to a young woman in a dress. She was beautiful, with a blue dress and shoulder length curls flowing down. She had olive skin and green eyes, and she looked nothing like the woman I'd expected. 

"Hello," I said, unsure what to say. She smiled nervously. 

"Hi," she said. "I doubt you'll remember me, but I am Sarah. I stood you up on a blind date about a year and half ago..." She was the one who'd stood me up when I met Elizabeth, the one I was supposed to meet that day. 

"Oh, right," I said. "Hi, how are you?"  

"I'm good, a little embarrassed," she said. "My cousin Johnny, your chef from the Bonsai Bistro,he said you're still single. And I figured, why not come by and say hello. And I'm glad I did, you're very handsome..." 

"Thank you," I said. She was beautiful, and charming. Her smile was making me feel something, but something deep down whispered to me. She was a pretty girl, not the pretty girl.

But then I thought I had to start living sometime, I couldn't put my heart on hold indefinitely. I'd been wondering about Liz, and this seemed. To be the universes gentle nudge to move on.  

"Look, you seem nice," I said. "I have no idea why you decided. To find me now..." 

"I just still felt bad," she said. "I've never stood anyone up before. I got out of this messy relationship, and I realized I wanted to date someone nice. So I know this is crazy, but I'd love to get a coffee sometime. I think we might hit it off." 

"Coffee sounds good," I said, surprising myself. "But I have to be honest, I was in a messy relationship too. I'm not entirely sure it's really over."

"So you're not single," she asked.  

"No I am," I said. "She hasn't spoken to me in a year, but I still love her. God, I sound pathetic, don't I."