Return to Me

Two

It can't be real. I must be seeing things...but I'd know that face and that figure anywhere.

"Jack?" I'm barely audible, stunned.

But he just stands there, staring at me. He looks somewhere between shocked and angry to see me. I know he hasn't forgiven me. I wouldn't forgive me either. 

I step closer. "Jack?"

After what feels like an eternity, he finally opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out and he closes it again. Instead he turns and walks in the other direction. 

Still stunned, I stand there and watch him leave. Jack looks over his shoulder once before rounding a corner and he is out of sight.

He's here.

He's here.

Jack is in Chicago.

What the hell is Jack doing in Chicago?

I numbly make my way back up to my apartment. Why is Jack here? He's supposed to be in Seattle.

Making my way over to the living room and sit on the couch to watch some TV. It's then that I see my phone flashing--letting me know I have a message.

Grabbing my phone, I read the message and see it's from Sam, a man that I've been seeing for a while.

SAM: Hey, does 6 sound ok?

ME: Ok for what?

I type out my message and wait for a response.

SAM: When I pick you up. We have that work party, remember?

Oh shit, right! The work party. I've been so occupied lately that I forgot about it. Sam and I work in the same building, but on different floors. While I do transcripts on that sixth floor, Sam does more work for our boss on the tenth floor. We met in the elevator one day while I was sent to the tenth floor to make some delivery, and the rest is practically history.

What can I say? It's like all of those cheesy romance movies everybody watches and secretly loves. The two meet at work, or some stereotypical place, they go on a few dates and discover how much they like each other...ya-dah, ya-dah. That's what it was like with Sam.

ME: Oh right. The party. 6 sounds great.

SAM: Great. I'll see you then. :)

Time passes slowly for the rest of the afternoon and I end up watching a few cooking shows on the Food Network Channel, before deciding to get ready for the party.

I decided on a strapless and backless, sweetheart neckline dress. It's black and has black sequins; it's one of my favorite dresses. I pull my long, dark hair up into an elegant bun before applying my makeup.

It's a few minutes before six when I'm finally ready and I take another glance in the mirror, doing a quick once-over, making sure everything is just right.

The buzzer rings and I know it's Sam. I grab my clutch and go to answer it.

"Hi, Sam." I say, pressing the intercom.

"Hi, sweetie. ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm, all set."

"Let me in and I'll come up."

"No, that's okay, I'll come down." I smile.

"Okay."

I let go of the intercom and grab my jacket and keys before shutting out the light and heading downstairs. I slip on my jacket just as I step outside and see Sam standing outside a limo.