Never to Old

Never too old

"Go to her dad, go save her." Eli's daughter says sarcastically from the couch as Eli straightens his suit, fixes his hair and runs from his office. He sprints through the hall and spots Natalie leaving through the main doors.

"Uh, hello?" he half says half asks to catch her attention.

Natalie turns around and smiles as she sees him.

"Hi!"she says fixing her hair, "I just wanted to say thank you,"

Eli loses himself in her smile as she continues, "that's all."

He nods, "You didn't need to."

"My boyfriend is back from Las Vegas" she blurts out.

Eli immediately loses his smile. She blabbers on, "I'm just saying that. It's it's not a big deal I'm just saying it."

Eli interrupts,

"I'm... glad." he forces himself to smile. They stand there for a few moments, both smiling awkwardly before Eli speaks again, "I am..."

"No, no, you don't have to..." She says

"It's not what you think..."

"Really this is just a thank you."

"Natalie, I know." She stares at him while he talks, " I know. It's just nice to talk to you that's all. I'm to old to have expectations of anything other than talk." Natalie half laughs half coughs and he realizes what he said, "Oh my God that sounded terrible."

"No, it's ok." her face splits into her brilliant smile that breaks Eli's heart. She looks at him earnestly, "It's really nice talking to you."

"And too you." He replies.

"Good bye." Natalie says shrugging her shoulders as their conversation comes to a close. She sighs under her breath as she turns to leave.

Eli watches her go, her brown hair bouncing with her every step. he watched her walk away from him, his daughter's words echoing through his head,

"It's your campaign pallet cleaner."

"Mom says that at the end of each campaign you find some crush to fixate on."

He dismisses the words in his head and makes a decision,

"Okay." He throws open the door and runs after her calling, "Natalie!"

She turns around confused. He runs up to her, "I... I lied."

Her face grows even more confused,

"About what Mr. Gold?"

"Eli." He corrects instantaneously.

She smiles a little as she corrects herself and then prompts him to answer,

"So..."

"I'm not glad."

"Okay." she says not understanding.

"I'm not glad that your boyfriend is back and I know I'm too old and i do know that and I know I can't have any expectations but..."

She smiles her heart breaking smile and takes a big step closer to him, she looks up into his eyes and says,

"You are allowed to have expectations Eli, and you are NOT that old."

He looks down at her smiling,

"I'm a little old." he admits.

She laughs softly and throws her arms around him pulling them even closer together,

"Okay, maybe a little old." Then she leans in and kisses him.

He melts into her, wrapping his arms around her deepening the kiss. the. Suddenly he pulls back,

"What about the boyfriend?" he asks worriedly.

"Personally, I think a party planner is a bit better than a contortionist." she whispers into his ear.

He chuckles,

"So do I."

They stand there for a while in the middle of the busy square, their arms tightly wound around each other, her head resting on his chest with the chilly winter Chicago wind and snow blowing around them.

------End------