Reluctant Souls

Love Fate

—63

Dallas got off work, threw his equipment in the back of his truck, and wiped the sweat from his face.

He got older. Still refused to date. Kept going to church, and he read the bible before going to bed, but no matter what he did, the ache was still there.

To Dallas, things were unsettled.

He was waiting, thinking, praying, watching for a sign to go and see Gabi one last time, or, the answer to his prayers, to be with her.

The sign never came.

He turned on the radio and Nickelback's Far Away was playing.

Dallas pulled his truck off the road, picked up his phone and called Joy.

"I called to tell you, I can't pick-up Donovan tonight and watch him this weekend," he told her.

"Don't do this to me, Dallas. I have things to do."

"I know. You always do."

"Yeah. You're not the only one who has plans," said Joy.

"I want to see Donovan," he said. "There's just something I have to do, and that's it."

"Oh, God. You're going to go and see her again. Right?"

"No. Well. Maybe."

"Don't lie to me," she said. "God, you are stupid. I'm done helping you Dallas. This time, she's going to throw you in jail. Is that what you want?"

"I know she's the only one I want to be with."

"Do you love her?"

"Yes, and..."

"And what?" said Joy.

"And I don't even know her," said Dallas.

"So, why do this?" she said.

"Like I said, she's the only one. I don't know anything else."

"Okay. Go. I'll have a babysitter watch Donovan," she said. "And I'm not going to bail you out. If you go to jail, that's it."

"Okay," he told her. "Bye."

"Dallas, wait." Joy sighed. "Good luck."

"Thanks," he said.

She said, "You're going to need it, Dallas," just before she hung up.

—64

Gabi sat at a table, having lunch with friends. The conversation was typical and meaningless. Her cellphone rang. She looked at the number but didn't recognize it, so she sent the call to her voicemail.

Her cellphone rang again. She looked at it, and let it ring.

"Message received," appeared on her phone. She sighed.

"What is it, Gabi?" asked Laura, one of Gabi's friends.

"Nothing."

Gabi had a feeling she knew who it was.

Dallas' voice came on, "I have to see you one last time, Gabi – just one last time." That's all that was said.

Her phone rang again. She pressed end and got up from the table, telling her friends she had to go.

The calls continued, and she continued to ignore them until she couldn't take it any longer.

"I knew you'd call me eventually," she said and hung up.