Page 11 of Awaiting

“Holly, I don’t know what to say here. We ended things together. It wasn’t like I broke up with you, and you were blindsided by the whole thing.”

“No, I know. I’m not blaming you, Bex. I’m not mad. I just kissed you, though… I remember what that’s like, and I really missed it. I missed sitting here having dinner with you and just talking.”

“I missed that, too,” Bexley admitted.

“So, what do we do? Where do we go from here?” Holly asked.

Bexley realized that now was probably the best chance she had.

“Look, I’m leaving soon for a few months.”

“Leaving?”

“I’m going to Kleinland to visit Alice, and I’m staying to help set up some speech pathology infrastructure there.”

“And you’ll be gone for a few months?”

“Yes. I was going to tell you. I just couldn’t really figure out how because of our situation, but–”

“You’re leaving,” Holly finished for her.

“Yeah.”

“So, what does that mean for us?”

“I think it means we shouldn’t start anything before I go, Holls.”

“And youhaveto go? You can’t postpone until we figure this out?”

“No,” Bexley replied. “Things were already set in motion before you called me,” she explained.

Holly nodded and asked, “So, what do we do? Just pick things back up when you get home?”

“I don’t know. I guess that depends on where you’re at and where I’m at when I get back.”

“Bex, I want to be with you, but I don’t think I can make any promises.”

“I know.” Bexley nodded. “I can’t, either. Why don’t we just try to keep each other posted on where we’re at and take the time to think things over?”

“I don’t really like that idea, but I don’t have much of a choice,” Holly replied as she sighed. “So, I should go, then. I’ve only had half a beer. I stupidly thought I’d be staying the night, but since that’s not happening, I need to be able to drive home.”

“Holls, I–”

“It’s bad timing,” Holly interrupted, standing up. “I don’t know, Bex… We were good together. And I think wecanbe again, but I don’t think we should start off trying this again with you in another country. So, I’m going to go home, eat, like, four of these cupcakes, and hope you call me soon.”

???

“And she just left?” Stan asked.

“She took the cupcakes with her. Well, she left the strawberry one I’d already opened.”

“Bex, you guys broke up. Why are you even bothering with this ‘let’s see where things land’ crap?” he asked, placing the mojito Bexley had ordered in front of her.

“I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. Ididmiss her.”

“Missing someone doesn’t mean it’s going to work if you try again,” Stan replied as he walked around the bar and sat on a stool next to her. “You ended things for a reason. If the reason hasn’t changed – even if you still love her – it doesn’t mean your relationship is meant to last.”

“What am I supposed to do, then?” Bexley asked him, taking a drink.

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