In Your Arms Tonight

Reunited (Jack)

I walked along the dark streets of the city. I didn't know where I was heading, I just knew I couldn't be alone in my apartment. I wandered around for a few minutes before looking down at my watch. It was 10:20, which was still relatively early. I decided to catch a cab and go to a nearby bar.

I flagged down a cab and sat in the back.

"Hello there," said the cab driver. "My name is George. Where would you like me to take you?"

"Pete's Tavern," I answered.

"You got it," the cab driver said. I sat in the back quietly, looking out the window at the clear night sky. George hummed a tune as he drove. We turned onto 9th Street when I heard George say, "Oh man."

I looked up, expecting to see something bad, but nothing seemed wrong to me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him.

"Well, you were my last passenger for the night, but I see a young lady all by herself, waving me down. Would you mind if I picked her up and rode with you?"

I glanced out the window to see a young woman in a large brown coat waving her arm rapidly for the cab to stop. There seemed to be no one around her.

"That's fine," I said, "you can pick her up. A young lady should not be out alone at night."

George drove up to the young woman and I looked back out the window again, wanting to avoid an awkward interaction with the stranger. Then I thought maybe I should at least say hello or something, I didn't want to come across as rude.

As I turned to face her, I sat in disbelief. My eyes widened and no sound came out of my mouth.

"Jack?!" she said.

"Rose," I managed to say. I reached for her and took her into my arms. She wrapped herself around me, her head resting on my chest. I kissed her forehead lightly, as if doing it any harder would cause her to vanish.

"I can't believe it's you," she whispered as she looked into my eyes. I gazed into her blue eyes, smiling uncontrollably, before leaning forward and kissing her lips.

At that moment, everything changed.

All the pain and sorrow that had clouded me in the past five years had vanished. She was here now. My sweet, darling Rose. How I dreamt of this moment that I never thought would become a reality.

"Ahem," George said, clearing his throat to get our attention. "So, am I dropping you two lovebirds at a new location?"

I looked at Rose and she looked back at me, both of us were clueless as to what to do.

"You can leave us here," Rose answered suddenly as she smiled at me. George smiled at us from the rear view mirror and said, "No problem, miss." He pulled over and Rose reached for the handle of her door to get out.

"Wait!" I told her. She gave me confused look but drew her hand back from the door handle. I rushed out of the cab and to her side of the vehicle. I stood up straight and opened her door, reaching my hand out for her to take it.

"Jack," she laughed.

"Miss," I said in a slightly deeper voice and with my hand still outstretched for her to take. She smiled and took my hand. She emerged ever so elegantly from the cab and I closed the door behind her.

I was once again on the cold, dark streets of the city, but this time it was different.

This time she was here.

"I don't even know what to say. It feels like I'm dreaming," said Rose.

"I know. I can't believe it either."

"I can't believe this. All this time I thought you were gone, dead. It wasn't until just recently that I found out you were still alive. When I found out I-" she paused, closing her eyes as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. "It was the happiest moment of my life."

I took her face into my hands and swept the tear away with my thumb before placing a light kiss on her forehead. She looked into my eyes and continued, "There's so much I want to say, so many questions I want to ask you, but I can't find the words right now."

"Shh," I said, pulling her in toward me, "there's no need to say anything right now, Rose. Now we have forever to say what we need to say."