I Surrender (Solo Tohi One Shot)

“Hey babe, sorry I’m late!” Erin came and met up with me at the café where I have been waiting for almost an hour. “There was a delay at rehearsals and they wanted to polish up the moves before we all separate today. Oh, and guess what?“

“I’m done.” I uttered, disrupting her thoughts. Her reasons weren’t that much important any longer, I just was tired and wanted to get this over with. My mind had decided even before coming here as our relationship lately hasn’t been going well. You’d probably say we were comparable to a broken recorder. Issues here and there come out all the time and it was putting me to the point of thinking that letting go was the best solution. “We’re over.”

Stunned about my decision, she froze for a second and just nodded her head, agreeing to what I had in mind. Tears formed in her eyes as she stood up from the seat she had just occupied minutes earlier, leaving me alone, without any word.

And that was the last time I’ve seen her, or have heard from her.

***

“Uncle Solo, how come you don’t go out on dates?” Harley asked me as we were all hanging out at the lounge room. Instead of hiring a babysitter for the Pearce kids, I volunteered tonight as the other Justice Crew guys went out with their girlfriends and wives.

“Yeah Uncle Solo, why?” Lily inquired. “Daddy said my prince will come when I’m about the same age as mummy and daddy. But you’re already the same age as them. Where’s your princess?”

I chuckled.  “Are you getting tired of me?”

“No! We love you!” Harley countered.

Thinking that I didn’t believe them, being the oldest of the crew, he told the other kids to nod their heads, even the two youngest ones, Jaylen and Javon, bobbed their heads up and down, while they were busy drinking milk from their bottles. Perhaps they thought they were a part of a game, though from the look on their faces, they enjoyed it.

“So did you have a girlfriend?” Lily continued with the question, as if they turned the spotlight over to me. Every kid was waiting for my response, even the two mischievous twins, Xander Reesh and Aston Ryan, also known as Phineas and Ferb, settled down in a circle around me.

Think it’s too late to back out of the job now. Hopefully, the guys wouldn’t take long with their dates tonight or I’m doomed. Either that or I’d believe these kids were paid to ask me about my love life as they thought they were harmless and I’d open up to them.

I nodded, confirming that I’ve been in love before, no – I was still in love with her right now, and it is the greatest feeling the world, despite what had happened between us.

The thing is – I know the guys have been telling me to move on from the girl, but I couldn’t because it was my entire fault why it didn’t even work out. I left her when things were falling apart, instead of working out on it, like what most people do.

Scared of what our future might bring, I cut the rope that was binding us together, and moved on. However, it didn’t go well as I have planned. She’s all I ever loved.

 “Can you tell us more about your girlfriend?” Xander asked.

“Does she have a name?” Aston asked as Xander smacked the back of his head.

“Of course, everyone has a name!” Xander lectured his twin brother as Lily told them to quiet down and just listen.

“Her name was Erin Taylor, and I guess you could call her my greatest love.” I told them.

“That’s what daddy calls mummy – greatest love!” Lily proudly shared.

“Shut up and listen!” Aston yelled towards Lily.