"From This Day Forward (Part 3 to One Night Stand)"

"This Isn't Goodbye"

Summer woke up the next morning as a 23-year old. She felt old, but at the same time felt so green. There was so much she wanted to accomplish & a lot she knew she needed to learn about herself & life in general. She did a lot of personal evaluation in the wee hours of the morning. The crisp Seattle chill entered the tent. The same tent that Dennis so sweetly pitched for her so she could have the whole camping experience. She pulled the sleeping bag flap up to her shoulders & enjoyed the warmth it brought her.

Making personal evaluations was something Summer did a couple times a year. She usually made them around her birthday & at the close of the year right before the new year. The end of last year was a total blur. She was numbed by the unexpected death of her father & she was never the same since. She evaluated her life in 3 categories: career, relationships & personal growth.

Her career path went awry after she had turned down that teaching position in town. She regretted it now that she took time to think of it. She wondered how different her life would've been if she accepted the job in the first place. She dabbled in therapy which was ironic because she was in need of a therapist herself. She had to put a pause on her career from all the traveling she had been doing. It was for the best because she got to spend time with her family for Grandma's wedding. She also got to spend time with Jay & their friends in Hawaii.

Speaking of Jay, the next on her list of evaluations was the relationship category. She was proud of the strides she made in making friends. She made some solid friendships back in Virginia. Friendships she wouldn't trade for the world. Things with Jay had been a bit rocky, but they were both willing to stay committed & work on their struggles. She thought about her relationship with Jay as she spun her engagement ring around her finger. There was something unsettling about their relationship. Something she didn't have peace about. She thought back to her dad & how he loved Jay like a son. She felt that if her dad were still alive that he would've urged Summer to forgive Jay & stay with him. And that's exactly what she did. She didn't know what would be ahead of her relationship with Jay, but she knew she had to forgive him & love him for who he was.

Lastly was her personal growth. She definitely grew a lot in the past 7 months. She lived without both her dad & mom & had to grow up quickly. In moving to Virginia, Summer learned how to live on her own & how to make some hard life decisions. She was more independent than this time last year. She only hoped that her parents were proud of the woman she was becoming.

She decided to get out of her cozy tent to apologize to Dennis for last night. She got caught up in the moment & probably came on too strong to him. She bundled up in a blanket & walked through the back door. She saw that Dennis's bags were already at the front door. She was glad she caught him before he left. She walked down the hall towards the rooms. His door was open & he was tidying up the room. Summer softly knocked on the side of the door. He looked up from fixing the bed & smiled.

Dennis: Good Morning, Summer.
Summer: Good Morning.
Dennis: I made some breakfast. You should eat up.
Summer: Thanks, I will. Are you leaving now?
Dennis: I have some time.

Summer got ready as quick as she could & then joined Dennis for a last meal together. Plenty of their conversations were at the counter sharing a meal together. She apologized to him for last night in between taking bites out of her waffle. He quickly forgave her & sensed she was a bit embarrassed by her actions. Dennis assured her that he wasn't upset or anything.

Summer: So you're not mad?
Dennis: Far from it.

Dennis glanced at his watch & quickly got up & cleared the table.

Dennis: I got to get going.
Summer: I can drive you to the airport.
Dennis: No, you don't have to.
Summer: I want to.

Dennis nodded & smiled.

On the way to the airport, Dennis dreaded saying good-bye to Summer. He grew to care for her & was obviously attracted to her. Summer felt the same. It was hard driving knowing she may never see Dennis again. There was something about him that attracted Summer & there was a kindness in his eyes that drew her to him.

She pulled up to the crib & looked over at Dennis.
He sighed & unbuckled his seatbelt.

Dennis: Well, this is it.

Dennis got out & Summer popped the trunk of her car. She got out to give him a proper good bye. He threw his backpack on & pulled up the handle of his luggage. Summer stood right in front of Dennis & looked up into his eyes. She was going to miss him.

Summer: Have a safe flight.

She couldn't hide how sad she was. Dennis could see she was on the brink of tears. He put his hand on the side of her face.

Dennis: Meeting you has been miracle, Summer. To tell you honestly, I needed this trip to Seattle. I almost didn't come out here, but I'm glad I did.
Summer: I'm glad you did too. I've had such a rough month & meeting you has been like a breath of fresh air. Thank you for all the late night talks & sharing your words of wisdom. Those times really mean a lot to me.
Dennis: I need to know that you're going to be ok.
Summer: What?
Dennis: I really care about you, Summer. I really do. I need to know that you'll be fine.
Summer: Don't worry about me.
Dennis: I can't promise that.
Summer: I'll do my best.

A patrol officer came & warned Summer to move her car. Summer jangled her keys in her hand & stepped away from Dennis. Dennis grabbed Summer & held her close.

Dennis: This isn't good-bye, Summer. We'll see each other again.

Dennis kissed Summer's forehead & walked into the airport. He turned to wave one last time. She waved back to him & got back into her car to drive off.