Narrator's view:

The next time they met was at a funeral. He ended up calling her for a card game, she barely played for an hour and left with her dad before the game finished. It had barely been 11 pm then.

 No sooner did she leave he went home early from the funeral. His mother saw the Instagram post of her mother saying "Safe journey return soon"... She had dreaded to tell him the news. However, she needed to do it, she didn't want him to regret one more time like he had been for the past six years. She looked at him pitifully and showed him the post. He read it and couldn't stand firmly on his feet. It was happening all over again. She was going away again, leaving him behind, abandoning him once more.

He ran to the garage, ran back into his room, took his bike keys and drove away. His mother didn't say a word, she just sat there looking at the bike driving away gaining speed till she no longer heard its sound.

He reached her house, only then had he realized they don't talk anymore. He thought of ringing the doorbell, but the whole house was not lit except for her room, so he decided not to. He took out his phone and called her, as expected it was unreachable...so close yet so far.

He saw her silhouette packing luggage, and he couldn't take another gamble. He called her mother who he hoped would pick up the call despite, it being midnight. He begged her mom to give the phone to her. She picked the call with a cold; "He'llO?" At a loss for words, he mumbles "Is this Jo?" And gets annoyed at himself for asking the obvious.

"Millitides???" comes the reply.

Such an unfamiliar and strange way of addressing as though we have not known each other for twenty-five years. Indeed, she called him 'Mills' ever since they had known each other. Perhaps they're no longer even friends...given her way of addressing. So now do I address her as 'Josie', he thought to himself.

Interrupting his thought process comes

"Mills? He'llO? He immediately responds "Jo, come out here for a while".

She asks no questions and proceeds to walk out with the call ongoing. He hears her footsteps coming down the stairs, her breathing catches pace as she steps down and increases speed. Nervousness seeps in at every step for, she would very soon be in front of him, and he had been waited so long for this moment.

She is seen opening the main door of the house, puts off the phone call and hurriedly run to open the gate as she sees the rain drops starting to get heavier. No sooner did she open the gate he flung his arms around her neck. He pulled her in for a long hug, tears streaming down his face, he had missed her. She smells alcohol on him and pulled back. He never consumed alcohol nor smoke or did anything harmful to health from when he was young. What had he gone through to change him into someone she no longer knew, she thought.

Taken aback by how she seemed to repulse his touch he was disappointed and felt tears starting to form again. He however, didn't show the least bit of it on his face.

"What brought you here so late"? She asked. Something that would've never been a question six years ago. They were friends once, very close friends. The ones who would've ended up being friends till the end of their lives.

"Come in, the rain is starting to pour you'll get wet". He shook his head to say no.

"I came to say goodbye, since you're leaving again. I didn't do so the first time you went, which is why I made sure to do so this time. I had no idea what time you would be leaving or when you'll be returning. Might never ever return so here I am".

Tears began streaming down her face as she clenched her fist trying to control her it so much that, her fingernails have formed red rashes on both of her palms. She cleared her throat and tried to sound as normal as possible.

"I'm presenting a paper on my research at the University, I'll return within two weeks. It didn't occur to me to tell you about it, given our current circumstances".

He swallowed hard, as he was reminded of their strained relation...they were no longer what they used to be.

"I see, when are you leaving?" He cursed himself as soon as he said that for, he sounded eager for her to leave, which is also what she felt.

"Um, tomorrow, the sooner, the better right".

 "Right, right". He replied lost in his thoughts. Visible disappointment would've been seen on her face had it not been dark and all the lights were out except for the one in her room. She gritted her teeth and replied "Well, If you've said your goodbye, maybe you can leave, I have to catch some sleep".

"I'm sorry, what time is your flight? I'll drop you off tomorrow".

"It's at 7 am but, no need to drop me I've booked a taxi".

"Please, we haven't seen each other for six years".

"Er...okay then. Go get some sleep before that. Let's set off at 6 am to the airport".

Millitides leaves for home.

She gets back into her house, but something is stuck in her mind. She finishes packing and writes in her diary before bed.

25/03/2025

Mills came to meet me, hugged me tight like he missed me just as much I missed him. He seemed drunk, he told me he'll drop me to the airport tomorrow however, I don't know if he'll remember. Alcohol is a good thing, it helps you forget temporarily. I wonder what he has gone through to begin drinking. Hope he doesn't get addicted like someone I know. One thing was strange though, he told me we haven't seen each other for six years but did he forget I had been away for only five years. Looks like I'm the only one counting the years.

The next day, she's awake by 5 am, her mom had helped to prepare food for the flight. Josie initially didn't want to bring food but when her mom insisted, she gave in. Millitides was dressed up and ready with his car parked nearby, he didn't show up just yet. He timed it and appeared before the gate at 5:30 am not late not early just on time, he thought. She saw the car and was about to go open the gate, her mom told she would do it and told her to sit and finish her breakfast.

Her mom pressed the button for opening the gate and through the voice intercom;

"Come in, Mills join Jo for breakfast before you go".

He parks his car in his old spot which has been left unoccupied for six years and comes in to sit at the table. Jo offers him scrambled eggs, bread and sweet milk . He smiles saying a "Thank you" and happily finishes it. She remembered after all these years his favorite breakfast. They then got ready and went out after saying goodbyes to her parents and her cat Mr. Gigi.

"Thank you for the breakfast", he tells her as the car starts.

"You're welcome, Mom made it for you". She replies, not knowing he seemed disappointed by that reply. It struck him only then that she had boiled eggs and sweetened milk and also had bread along with the crusts for breakfast. She had changed completely, six years ago she would never eat boiled eggs not to mention they were soft-boiled. Nor would she take sugar in her milk, or bread crusts, she hated crusts. She was a complete stranger now. As soon as she got in the car she didn't blast her favorite music on like she did before. He only had saved her favorite songs and played it over and over for the last years.

She sat in a composed manner, not showing the slightest affection for her favorite songs or him. In fact, it was like she was in a stranger's taxi for the first time.

"Want to listen to some music?" He asked, to which she replied "Sure" So nonchalant and emotionless he thought, as though I'm a complete stranger to her.

They listened to the music without singing along with it. He knew all of the song lyrics from memory, it was etched onto to his mind from listening to it time and again. To her, it was a distant blurry memory from years ago which only brought back agony and memories she'd rather not recall.

She closed her eyes as she begins to restlessly drive off the memories popping up in her mind. He noticed, and thought she felt sleepy and put off the music. She felt a sense of satisfaction and continued closing her eyes. As she opened her eyes, after some time they were just minutes away from the airport.

He had wrapped a blanket on her while she slept, she felt that, the mild scent of flower on the blanket felt familiar but couldn't think of any clues. Interrupted suddenly by his voice, "You woke up? Want to drink hot water?" She was startled and replied "Eh! No, no".

He drops her off at the airport terminal. Josie checked in for her flight and left him once more. He watched helplessly as she booked the flight and the plane flew farther and farther away from him. At least this time, she would come back, within two weeks. That's not a long time, no, not a long time, for someone who has been waiting for six years no, that's nothing.

......................................................................

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***