An unexpected closure.

It's been ten years. She had a sudden realization that it has been that long since she last saw him. If you don't count the occassional times when she checked his social media to see if he is still as happy as he claimed to be the time when he left her for a better life. She wondered how he's been. Not in a resentful way, but she genuinely cared to know.

She goes back to the top of the page that she had been reading, realizing that her eyes moved along the lines of the text but she took in nothing. She tried to not concentrate on her wandering mind, but she failed. She closed the book and placed it on her bedside table. Ten years of him not knowing what she had gone through since he decided to leave their love behind. She dreamed of him every other night, that's something that he will never know. She cried for him, pretending to be okay, bled for him, and almost thought of suicide. But those dramatic memories of pain are over, and now exist like a numbed scar. Still, she wondered if he remembered her fondly. All the mishaps and mistakes she made, were they forgiven? She was a child, unknowing of how she should give love. She was naive, but her only console was that she was true. She wondered if the memories they shared together were enough to sooth him in moments of distress. It they did, it would be enough.

It's almost midday and she hasn't had breakfast. She realized that there's no more milk so she gets dressed and heads out to get some. This distraction helped her forget about her longing thoughts for a little while. And her thoughts vanished with the clanking of keys as she stumbled to lock the door.

It's a sunny day. Winter is making her way into spring. What a beautiful life, she thought. Just as she turns the corner of the street, there he was, 15 meters away, heading towards her. He was looking down while he walked, with his hands in his pocket. She had so many questions. Why was he here? He's not supposed to be in the same country, let alone on the same street. Should she talk to him? Will he recognize her? Why is he alone? She slowed down her footsteps. She can't feel her knees. Then she completely stopped, and then for a second pretended to not see him when he looked her way. But her instincts betrayed her, she did a double take.

Their eyes locked. His eyebrows confirmed that he was just as confused as she is, but they quickly relaxed. She started slowly walking again. Maybe she doesn't have to be the one to decide. Maybe he doesn't want to talk to her and that's fine. She is fine with that. And it's not until he walked right past her without slowing down that she realized she was not. She felt his burning gaze as they brushed shoulders, almost certain that she is imagining it. She squized her eyes shut in that moment, and held her breath. But in a split second it was over. She let out a sigh and resumed her walking speed, letting this be another mystery that she will probably take another three years to figure out. She was prepared to give up. She was determined to.

"Claire?" He called from a distance not five steps behind her. And she realized he'd stopped completely right after he walked past her.

She turned around, a little more quickly than she'd liked. "Hey."

How should she react? What should she do? He is coming towards her now. She cannot escape this pull that he projects.

"Hey, I thought that was you."

"Hi." She repeated, giving herself some time to process this.

"I found you." Wait, he was looking for her?

"What?" She was still baffled.

"I'm sorry to show up without warning."

"What do you mean?"

"I have been here for 3 months. I knew you were here so I came searching for you. But I was too impulsive when I got on the plane and I didn't know what to say to you once I've found you, so I guess I didn't actually try very hard to find you." He blurted.

All this doesn't make any sense. Why would he be looking for her? Isn't he supposed to be happily married by now?

"Why are you here?" She finally started to ask one of the 300 questions she had in her mind, but the moment she asked it, she realized that she might have appeared too rude.

He seemed hesitant. He took a deep breath and said, "Should we sit down and have some coffee?"

She agreed. She was starving. And she wanted to hear his story. Her heart fluttered at this opportunity to learn about his life in the past decade. And she desperately pushed away the thought that he might actually still be in love with her. Why else would he travel half way across the world to see her? She tried to remain calm and polite, although deep down inside her it burns.

"Could I have a long black please," he said to the young waiter. She didn't remember he liked coffee.

"An omellete and a latte for me. Thanks." She said.

"Sure." The waiter picked up their menus and left.

"Still the same breakfast, huh?" His eyes glowed in the bright sunlight coming from the windows. She blushed.

"So, how are you?" She started again, as calmly as she could although her heart almost left her chest.

He smiled painfully. "I've been thinking...about you."

She didn't know what to say. "Why?"

He looked down for a second but immediately looked back up, almost as if he doesn't want to lose sight of her.

"You're as beautiful as the day I left you." He blurted again.

"Um, thank you, Al - Albert." She corrected herself. And for a moment she saw a hint of tear fog up his beautiful brown eyes.

"It's been 10 years, hasn't it?" He spoke her mind.

"Yes. It has." The memory of them sitting on the grass, gazing at the clouds passing by, filled her mind. On that faithful day, she did not realize that it would be their last. Although, she did feel a little strange. He was not truthful about what he was saying. She should have known, that perfection is delicate. She was not perfect enough for him. He had been sidetracked, by another lover, one younger and more beautiful. How could she ever stop to think that he would love her forever, unconditionally and untiringly?

The pause was so long but he knew she was reliving the painful memory, that same memory that he fabricated on that perfect sunny day.

"I'm sorry," he began, "about everything." And that was the moment she broke into tears for the first time in front of him.