Take Two

The shopping cart rattled as Glenn walked as quickly as he could to the self checkout. He scolded himself for delaying his shopping trip because now he was fighting the last minute Valentines Day shoppers along with the usual after work crowd.

It’s going to take me forever to check out, he thought. I guess that will teach me not to procrastinate.

As he passed the spice aisle, Glenn remembered that he was out of lemon pepper seasoning. Cursing under his breath, he turned around and nearly ran into a woman approaching him from behind. Glenn just managed to avoid striking her.

“I am so sorry,” he said. “I did not see you.”

“It’s my fault,” the woman said, “I was not watching where I was going.”

Glenn’s heart froze for a moment as he recognized the voice.

“Abigail? Abigail Sanders?”

Abigail looked up, her green eyes meeting Glenn’s own blue gaze.

“Glenn Waters”, she said smiling. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”

Brain moved to stick his hand out, but Abigail slipped around their carts and embraced him.

She always was a hugger, he thought as they parted.

Glenn looked Abigail up and down. The years had been kind to her. Abigail still possessed the curvy but strong body that Glenn remembered.

Her auburn hair had a few gray strands and her face a few wrinkles, but Abigail was still the beautiful woman Glenn had loved over twenty years ago.

“How are you, Abby,” Glenn asked. “Still playing softball?”

Abigail laughed.

“I wish. That career ended a marriage and two kids ago.”

Glenn laughed with her, finding that he missed her quirky humor.

“How have you been,” Abigail asked as she caught her breath.

Glenn shrugged.

“I’ve been good. Got married, divorced and I have been single since then.”

Abigail sighed inwardly. She seldom said so out loud, but she regretted ending things between herself and Glenn.

He was definitely the one who got away, she thought.

She focused on the light brown hair that always managed to be in his still handsome face. Abigail saw that Glenn had not allowed himself to succumb to the middle age spread.

They had not seen each other since the last class reunion nearly ten years ago, and they had not talked much at the event.

“Are you still a gym rat,” she asked.

“Not like I used to be, but I manage to get a workout in here and there.”

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Abigail said, “Glenn, I know it's been a long time, but I hate the way things ended with us.”

Glenn took a deep breath and considered his next words carefully.

“I want to have this conversation, but not in the spice aisle.”

Abigail smiled saying, “Fair point.”

“How about we pay for our groceries, then meet up at Latte Da?”

Abigail nodded, then said, “See you there.”

Glenn resumed his path to the self checkout and was surprised to see that one was open. He paid for his groceries, stunned at the cost for items that barely filled four bags, and headed to his car. Glenn placed the bags in the back seat, himself in the front and then started the car. He put the car in gear and slowly made his way out of the parking lot. Glenn did not have long to think about what he was about to do, since Latte Da was just over a mile away from the grocery store.

I can’t believe I’m about to do this, he thought.

As Glenn parked and turned his car off, he saw Abigail walking into the coffee shop.

“How the hell did she beat me here?”

Glenn exited his car, shaking his head as he closed the door.

There was a slight chill in the air, but Glenn barely felt it as he approached the entrance to Latte Da. There was a sheen of nervous sweat on his forehead which he tried to subtly wipe away by running his fingers through his hair. Glenn opened the front door and smiled as the scent of coffee wafted over him. Abigail waved at him from a table near the bar and Glenn walked towards her.

He had just sat down when a server placed a tall glass of coffee topped with whipped cream and white chocolate shavings.

“Are you still a fan of the White Knight latte,” Abigail asked.

Glenn smiled.

“Oh yeah.”

He nodded his thanks to the server and took a sip.

“This is so good,” he said.

Abigail smiled and said, “You can have your fancy coffee. I’m happy with my simple espresso.”

Glenn laughed.

“Only you would call a double espresso with cream, chocolate lined cup and a dash of cinnamon simple.”

Abigail shrugged.

“Maybe not so simple.”

Glenn smiled.

“You are many things, Abigail Sanders, but simple was never one of them.”

Abigail sighed.

“I try to be. Or if not simple, at least straightforward and honest.”

Glenn nodded and pointed at her with his spoon.

“Now those things you always have been.”

Glenn put the spoon down and continued.

“Some of us just did not appreciate those qualities.”

Abigail smiled.

“I was too serious for my own good then. I was so focused on school, I lost sight of everything else; including us.”

Glenn shook his head.

“I wasn’t serious enough. I thought we would live the college fantasy. Go to school together, graduate, get married, the whole thing.”

Abigail sipped her coffee and made a face.

“What was that for,” Glenn asked.

“A little too much cinnamon,” Abigail replied. “Anyway, we wanted different things at that time, and I know now, that was ok. What wasn’t ok was how I handled it.”

She placed her hand on Glenn’s.

“I am sorry for being so cold to you. You did not deserve it.”

Glenn smiled.

“There is nothing to be sorry for. I did not even try to understand your perspective, and that was not fair to you.”

Abigail squeezed Glenn’s hand before she withdrew her own.

Their conversation turned to what each had been doing in the years since they had been together. Glenn described his failed marriage and bitter divorce. Abigail told Glenn about her dream wedding, her kids’ accomplishments, and how her husband cheated on her for the last three years they were together.

By the time they finished their coffee, they had caught the other up on the past decade.

Abigail sighed.

“It sounds like we both made some pretty bad choices through the years. Maybe we should have stayed together.”

Glenn smiled.

“Even though that is cool to think about, we were not ready. We needed to live life apart from each other. The experiences we had, even the bad ones, taught us something.”

Abigail leaned forward and placed her head on one hand.

“What did you learn?”

Glenn sighed.

“I learned that some people are meant to be single. I banged my head against the wall for years trying to be the perfect husband or boyfriend and it just never works out for me. So I accepted the fact that I am not meant to be with anyone.”

Abigail’s heart clinched at his words.

“You still have time to meet that special person.”

Glenn shook his head.

“I stopped looking. If it happens, great. But I won’t be the one to make it happen.”

Before Abigail could respond, Glenn asked, “What about you? What lessons have you learned?”

Abigail sighed.

“I have learned that I can’t ignore my intuitions. I was suspicious that my ex-husband was cheating, but I talked myself out of looking into it. It was my own fault.”

They were silent for a while, then Glenn spoke.

“We have both learned hard lessons, and I like to think that I am better for it.”

Abigail fixed Glenn with her eyes.

“Have you ever thought about starting over?”

Glenn did not have to ask who she was talking about.

“I have, but I never had the courage to call you. And you were married.”

Abigail nodded.

“I was, but I would have talked to you, at least. But, I guess we will never know.”

Glenn motioned to their server and paid the check.

“Abigail,” he said, taking her hand. “This has been great. I really enjoyed talking to you. It’s been too long since we have been able to do this.”

Abigail shifted her hand and entwined her fingers with Glenn’s.

“This doesn’t have to be the last time. Both of us are now free to explore what might have been.”

Glenn wanted to say yes. He wanted to restart the journey that had been interrupted over twenty years ago.

But that’s the thing, he thought. It wasn’t interrupted. It ended, and going forward, it is probably for the better.

Glenn opened his mouth to refuse, but a sudden thought stopped him.

But is it?

Instead of refusing, Glenn said, “We are very different people than we were twenty five years ago. I would like to explore who we have become.”

Abigail smiled and said, “I would like that too. How about we start next Friday night?”

Glenn returned the smile and asked, “Just let me know where and when.”

“That's something we can talk about over another cup of coffee and dessert,” Abigail said as she signaled another server.

Glenn smiled as he noticed that they were still holding hands.

I refuse to lose this chance twice in a lifetime, he thought.

Abigail asked, “What are you smiling about?”

“I was just thinking about how rare second chances are.”

Abigail pulled their joined hands to her lips and kissed Glenn’s hand.

“Then let’s make the most of this one.”