A Glimpse of Forever

June 2016 -Just Stopping by to Say Hello

Chapter 41

June 2016 - Just Stopping by to say Hello

This was going to be strange. I hadn’t been back in so long. I wondered how much had changed, I wondered what’s remained the same. I wondered if I was different, if I had changed since I left. I was worried about how they would react to seeing me. I did just up and leave. I didn’t even say goodbye to them. Tom was the only one that I kept in contact with. He came up to see me regularly. He told me that it was about time that I came back and for some reason, I agreed.

There I was, standing in London. It brought back many memories, some I wish I could burry deep within my mind but they resurfaced as I stood on the sidewalk. I breathed in the cool air, paying attention to it filling my lungs. I had to admit, it felt good to be back. I always considered this place to be my home. The people in it included. This was coming home and no matter what I was running away from when I left, being back felt good.

I watched Tom’s car pull up. I hadn’t seen him in a couple of weeks. I get in the car and was shocked, “Tom! Your hair is red”

“Ha-ha. Yes. Indeed it is”

“That’s amazing!”

“Thank you. You made it! For a minute there, I thought that you would find some excuse to call me up and cancel”

“I was thinking about it but in the end I thought, ‘Why the heck not?’”

“Good! This is exciting. How long are you here for?”

Tom started up the car and drove to the all too familiar apartment building, “Well, I’ve gotten two weeks off work”

“That’s excellent. I have you for two weeks”

“Have you planned something?”

“Amelia, remember who you are talking to. Of course I’ve planned something”

“Should I be scared?”

“Always be scared, just in case”

“Oh dear. What have you gotten me into?”

The rest of the car ride was used to talk about the last few weeks. Catching each other up on our lives. My life consisted of work now. I literally had no life away from the job. Tom always enjoyed hearing the gossip from around the work place. Whenever he came to visit, he would sit in the lunch room, talking to Maria, who was the work place gossiper. I swear the only reason he comes to see me was so he could have a bitch sesh with Maria. He would keep me informed of what the group was up to. He wasn’t very good at keeping me in the loop. All I ever got was, ‘They’re doing well’. The only time he told me the details was when he told me that William had confessed his love for him and they had been dating for the last few months.

It was going to be interesting to see how they were actually doing. We arrived at the apartment, Tom parked in his usual spot, which was the same spot as it was when I was living there. I was starting to get more nervous now. I didn’t really want to see certain people but Tom said that I couldn’t hide forever. Unfortunately, he was right.

There we were, standing in front of apartment 9B. Flashes of memories washed over me. I could feel this becoming emotional and quickly. Tom tapped me the shoulder, pulling me from my trance, “You ready”

“No but I don’t have a choice”

Tom knocked and opened the door. The apartment hadn’t changed much. The same faded red couch sat in the middle of the living room. The kitchen was still a plain white colour. The old wooden desk still sat in the corner, unused. The lamp I had to replace after breaking it sat next to the couch. Everything looked the same. I was caught up in the room and I didn’t notice Sophie walking over to me until she slapped me on the side of my face. I jumped back, covering my cheek with my hand. I looked over to her, I was so happy to see her, or I would have been if the annoyance from being slapped wasn’t there. I was about to say something but she started to speak, “How dare you! How dare you leave and not say goodbye. All I got is a crappy letter. That’s not good enough…”