Page 14 of David's Love

“Yes, I have.”

“Are you flying to Colorado?”

“Yes, I am. I don’t know when exactly, but I’ll find out in a few days, maybe a week.”

“I can’t wait.“

“You’re facetious.”

“No, I’m not.”

Her fingers stop.

“I didn’t think I’d be saying this, but I kind of want you to be here for Christmas.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you can swing by Miranda’s place. It’s only going to be her and me this year.”

As if it has ever been different.

“Okay…” I say softly.

“You know I like Miranda.”

“Not by choice,” I joke, and she laughs, enjoying my humor.

Miranda was right when she suggested not to ever tell Julie about how much of a role her mother played in my life.

That’s why I said what I said. I don’t know how much Miranda actually told her about those little things defining me.

We did the right thing by not telling her that the big story in my life happened to be her mother.

That tale will remain locked in a memory tomb, where the remains of an old love story have been laid to rest.

It wouldn’t do any good to anyone to breathe life into something that refused to happen.

She’s here.

She’s happy.

Miranda has taken great care of her.

And I’ve done the same.

To her, I'm her boss.

And I surely am.

But she is so much more to me than she could ever understand.

“So, yes…” she goes on. “It would be nice if you showed up.”

“Unlike the last time when I didn’t show up.”

She meets my comment with amusement. Although we both know I have failed. I promised her I’d see Miranda, and then I left, and my plans shattered.

And now I’m making another promise I might not be able to keep.

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