Shorts

Daniel

I haven't spoken to Addie in years. I didn't want to talk to her. I didn't even want to see her. She broke me. Even after she told me she wouldn't ever dream of doing anything like that. I was shattered. I loved her, and she left me. I was heartbroken. I am heartbroken.

I thought I didn't wanted to talk to her. After the first day, when she messaged me goodnight, I was nearly brought to tears. I missed her so much. I missed her smile and the way she laughed way to hard at everything. I missed her sarcastic comments and her utmost confidence in everything that she did. I missed her smell of wood fires and her kisses and everything that she had to offer the world.

I was at an amusement park with with my best friend. I didn't really wanted to go. I was never one for amusement parks. I was sweating and we had only just left the car. I hated this weather. I could see people everywhere, of every different race and gender. I could barely see anything else, that's how crowded it was. All I heard were multiple tidbits of everybody's conversation. It was hard to think.

We were walking to the water park, due to the fact that it was practically a million degrees outside and the rides were shit, when I saw her. She walked outside of a shop with her brother trailing behind her holding a large bowl of strawberry ice cream with sprinkles. Addie's smile was wide on her face and her gaze was set on the little boy who wouldn't stop jumping up and down.

I froze. My body felt like it was at war with itself. I was angry. I could feel fury build up inside me but then her head threw back in laughter because the little boy had ice cream on his nose and my heart melted. I could feel butterflies creep up into my stomach and I cursed myself for it.

A half smile took over my face as I took in her appearance. She had a new haircut, shorter. It made her look older. I liked it. Her usual pale skin had a gold tint to it and I could see she lost a lot of weight. She was beautiful. She had always been beautiful, but seeing her now just confirmed everything. I still loved her.

My best friend pulled my arm to continue walking and I looked at him, pleading with my eyes, asking for just a few more minutes. I wanted to take in as much of her as I could. When I looked back, she was staring right at me. I felt my lungs collapse at the face she made. She was shocked, scared, surprised. Her face didn't read anything but those three emotions. I felt tears pool in my eyes and I willed them not to fall. Did she not want to see me? Was she so horrified at seeing me? I saw her flick a stern look and her mouth form the words "sit down" to her brother and her eyes flicked to meet mine again, her face now a more solemn and sad look. I saw her hand wave me over. She turned to her brother and said something to him that I couldn't quite make out.

I then remembered that Addie's brother was at that age when we were dating. He couldn't possibly be the same age now.

We didn't said anything to each other at first. I just looked at her and studied her features. She looked older, more mature, with laugh lines around her eyes that made her look radiant. I turned to the boy who was eating his ice cream. His blonde hair was long and messy, identical to the woman who I fell in love with so long ago.

I looked into her green eyes. She had a smile on her face and I thought it was the most beautiful thing.

"Hi," she breather after a while

"Hey," I said, matching her whimsical tone.

"How have you been?" she asked, her hands fidgeting in her lap, like they always did when she was nervous.

"I've been good," I replied. I had no clue what to say. This was too awkward for me. She just nodded, looking down at the boy who was eating ice cream. I guess she was thinking the same exact thing. "Who's this?" I asked, looking towards the boy.

The smile that took over her face was overwhelming. You could see the pride and the happiness that this boy gives her just from her features. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Her hand went to the boys head, patting down his thick hair. He turned and looked at me, his eyes a brown color. Exactly like mine, I noticed. "This is Daniel," she said, her voice was laced with admiration, "Danny, say hi."

"Salutations, mister" His voice was quite and very formal. He spoke each syllable slowly, so that he could get the big word right.

My brain went back to a conversation we had when we were younger. A conversation that was filled with dreams of small cramped apartments and big dogs. The conversation led to talk of baby names, if we were to ever have children. All the names she gave me were ridiculous. I had hated them. She swore that they were historical and unique. After hours of laughing because of her crazy baby names, she brought up how she liked the name Daniel, and I had liked it as well. It was my middle name and it was my father's name.

All the details pulled together in my brain. It was like I was finally understanding something that I had been thinking about for a while. The boy's name being so familiar. His resemblance to me and to the the woman I had dated and fell in love with so long ago. I looked to her, understanding seeping into my brain. She just smiled at me, looking towards the boy every so often. And then, as if to confirm my suspicions, Daniel looked toward Addie and said: "Mommy, can we go ride some rides."