Coming Home-(Complete)

Myra - The Next Weekend

A change of scenery from four white walls seemed necessary. I chose to sit at the same park bench our friends used to meet. The day was mildly humid, but nonetheless, a nice summer day. At least, it should have been. Everything was numb. A portion of life consisted of a mental block. I tried so hard to find the happy memories but continue to be overtaken by the horrible ones. What about the times the lake froze over? Everyone would run across the ice and see how far they could go before it cracked. What about all the miles walked down that path? The times fishing when the lake unfroze? A small smile formed but vanished just a quick.

With that, it seemed like as good of a time as any to get groceries for the week. The hotel's mini-fridge was not large, though it held enough. A change of setting. Every which direction brought back memories. Some happy, some painful. Why could I not be happy? Something about this place was never the same once everyone became their own person. It happed around grades eleven and twelve About the time when everyone thought they knew better. That they were adults and capable of "adulting". A huge fight occurred. New alliances were created. Opposing teams. The phrase "fading-out" made complete sense after graduation.

Inside the grocery store, I fumbled with my purse. Those headphones were in there somewhere. Listening to music helped suppress anxiety onset by crowds of people. As I pull out a random doll outfit, my wallet fell to the ground. I'm such a wreck.

"Let me get that." A man about my age picked up the wallet. When our eyes met, the world stopped. He was handsome. 6'1". Dark Hair. Those eyes. They were the brightest green I had ever seen.

"Oh, um,-" I choked a little while wadding the doll dress up, "thank you."

He smiled politely back then walked away. My heart raced. Uncomfortably, it got faster. Why was it suddenly difficult to focus? A giant smirk ran from ear to ear. For a moment, the world did not exist. Crap. I went to the bathroom to recollect myself. Thank goodness nobody else was in here. I splashed surprisingly warm water on my face. Take deep breaths. Ridiculous. That is how I felt. Like a ridiculous schoolgirl oogling over an attractive guy. A very attractive guy. Control yourself. A good ten minutes passed before it felt "safe" to leave.

Upon exiting the bathroom, I did a quick scope of the store to see if he was gone. Or at least on the opposite side where he could be avoided. I put the headphones in then continued the mental list. Milk, soup, flour. The list went on. It would be easier had I not lost the paper list somewhere. Breathe. The town was small, but what were the chances of running into him again? Slowly, everything relaxed.

The music switched to call mode. It was Caleb. On cue to resume the stress.

"Hey Myra, can you take Makayla for the remainder of the day? Hallie and I have an errand to run." He hung up immediately after a response.

Upon picking up my excited daughter, we decide to eat an early dinner. A place that used to be "the spot". As despiteful of an idea it was to dive in the past more, the idea of familiarity sparked emotion. It did not matter what kind of emotion. Anything was better than nothing.

In the parking lot of the diner, I undo Makayla's safety straps.

Through excited giggles, she tells the story of her trip yesterday to the zoo. "And then! The monkey jumped really, really high! And then the baby chased her!"

I smile while helping her down. "That's silly."

"Mommy, have you wanted to live in the zoo? You would see tigers, and bears, and zebras, and," her list resumed as we walked hand-in-hand inside. It looked exactly the same. Dim lights. Soft country music. Green wallpaper. Even that strange statue sat on the hostess' desk. "Table for two, please."

"Sure, let me get that set up!" I recognize her from our Sophomore Biology class. Time seemed to be treating her well. We sat down on the waiting benches. Makayla played with my hands. Those tiny little hands. Moments like this need to last forever. This little girl made everything worthwhile. All those moments that felt like a "screw-up" really were bliss.

The diner door opened. I looked up then froze. Of all the places, why did I not expect to run into familiar faces? Walking in, alone, was the same guy from the store. He had changed into a pair of faded jeans, a simple black t-shirt, and a pair of leather riding boots. Shit. Breathe. Smile. Something. I peek into the seating portion of the diner, hoping that he did not remember me. He walked up to the stand. I could feel his glance at me.

The hostess returned. They spent a few moments in a conversation filled with laughter. When they finished, he sat at the bench across from us. The hostess turned to me, "Ma'am, I am so sorry. We have a mess from the last party and need just a little longer to clean up. I do apologize."

"Oh, no. That's fine." The words barely made it out. She disappeared again. I pulled Makayla close to me for a hug, with the hope to gain some peace and reassurance. I look up again, so did he. We made eye contact. A smile filled his face as did recognition in his eyes.

"Excuse me." He spoke. His voice was smooth with an accent that came from the southern parts of the state. "This might sound like a lame ploy, and I'm being honest here. I don't normally talk to strangers but weren't you at the grocery store this morning?"

I stared blankly. What is wrong with me? Suddenly, I'm so numb to everything, that responding to simple questions is a hassle. He clearly sensed the awkwardness but kept poised.

"You, uh-," he broke the tension "-dropped your wallet. I mean you just do not see too many new faces these days. At least, not this part of town."

Finally, I was able to collect myself. "I used to live here. We are just visiting for a few weeks."

Makayla studied our actions. She was well beyond her years with social observations. She gave him a smile. He returned one. "Oh!" He held back a minor blush. "I guess, I never introduced myself. I'm Mason. I do apologize for coming across like a weirdo."

"No! No!" The words rolled from my tongue. Normally this kind of interaction would be abnormal. Back home, this would be a sign to run, then possibly call the cops. This though, through the stream of youth-like crushing, posed no red flags. "I'm Myra. This is my daughter, Makayla."

'Makayla, huh? That's a pretty name! How old are you?"

She held up four fingers, "I'm five. How old are you?"

Embarrassed, I shot back "Makayla!"

Rather than being offended, his attitude molded to suit the conversation they were having. "Hmm, let's see" after counting a few fingers on both hands, he replies "Hmm, it seems that I do not have enough fingers to tell you."

Great. Fine with kids and adorable. Just great.

We were finally seated.

As we were finishing up, Mason walks up to our table.

"I know this is rash." He suddenly did not appear confident. If anything, extremely nervous. "Again, I promise, this is not something I do to everyone. Though, I understand if you chose not to. I mean, as you are only in town for a few weeks. If you would like someone to talk to, here." He set a small piece of paper down. I turned it over to see a phone number. "It was great to meet you, Myra, and Makayla. Enjoy the rest of your visit." He gave both of us a little smile then went back to the counter where he was eating.

"I like him. He's nice." Makayla said as she took a french-fry from my plate.