While I Was Away(2)

“Translation – you don't want to.”

“... no, I don't. But I'd do it for you.”

“God, Charlie,” she laughed louder, then she reached out to grab his hands. “You are gonna make some woman so happy, some day.”

“I tried with you, you know.”

“You succeeded. I wouldn't trade any of our time together. We just weren't meant to be forever,” she said, smoothing her thumbs over his skin. It was so bizarre to think this might be one of the last times she touched him so intimately.

“So ... did we just break up?” he asked, and when she finally looked him in the face, he was staring down at the busy street below them. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

“Yes,” she said, then she took a deep breath. “And at my friend's birthday party, no less. Horrible man, I'm going to tell everyone you dumped me at my bestie's party. They'll all hate you.”

He barked out a laugh, and suddenly the tense moment was over. Like surgery on a battlefield – no anesthesia, but a sharp knife and a clean wound meant a quick heal.

“Tabitha isn't your best friend,” he snorted. “She's just someone you work with.”

“Hey, we're friends outside of work – she goes out to drinks with Zoey and me, I invited her to my birthday,” Adele reminded him. “And she obviously invited me to her party, so clearly she thinks we're friends, too.”

“Us.”

“Huh?”

“She invited us.”

She thought over what he was saying for a moment, then the wheels in her brain started to roll. Adele looked across the room again, in the direction he'd been smiling earlier. Sure enough, birthday-girl-Tabitha was standing there, leaning up against a wall. She was laughing and talking to some guy, but every now and then she glanced their way.

Adele and Tabitha worked for the same marketing firm – Adele in design, Tabitha in new accounts. Charlie had recently hired their firm for all his business marketing. Recently. So he was a new account.

One plus one equals two.

“'Us',” Adele breathed. Then she cleared her throat. “She likes you. You like her. She invited me so you'd come.”

“It's not like that,” Charlie held up his hands. “I said I loved you, and I meant it, and you know I respect you. I have never cheated on you.”

“Of course, I'm sorry, I know that,” Adele assured him. “All I meant was ... she likes you. You like her.”

He was frowning, and he didn't look happy at all, but he nodded his head.

“Yeah. I like her,” he admitted. “I didn't ... is this how this is supposed to happen? We just calmly talk about ending a three year relationship like it was just a bad dinner date, and then I ride off into the sunset with your coworker?”

“Hey! It was a pretty good dinner date, as far as three-year-relationships go,” Adele argued. “And though I want you to be happy, please don't ride off into the sunset just yet. After all, you and I came together, and all my coworkers are here. It would be a little awkward.”

Charlie's frown lasted a second longer, then he finally smiled again. He clasped her hand between both of his, then lifted it to his lips for a kiss.

“I'm gonna regret this some day, aren't I?” he chuckled. “Let's get the hell out of here. If this is our last night together as a couple, let's go out big style.”

“What does 'big style' mean?”

“We're gonna finish binge watching our show, then we're going to dramatically fight over who gets the apartment,” he informed her. “And then we'll cry and hug it out and agree to both move out. There's also the possibility of some for-old-time's-sake sex, as well.”

“No, there isn't.”

“And then in the morning, I'll call Tabitha and ask her out while you call all our friends and tell them we've broken up.”

“Why me!?”

“Because this was your idea,” he teased, and before she could argue some more, he leaned in quick and kissed her cheek. “I'm gonna go get our coats, be back soon.”

Watching Charlie walk away, it was a bittersweet moment. This really was the end to their story. The kiss on the cheek had sealed it – any other time, it would've been on the lips. The gap between them was now a gulf.

It was sad, but at the same time, it was exciting. She hadn't been single since college. She'd never lived on her own. She'd never really been in love. There was a whole new horizon full of experiences waiting for her.

And whatever is missing, now I can finally go out and look for it.

When she saw him heading back across the party, Adele left the balcony and met him halfway. She wanted to make their exit as quick as possible, and he seemed to feel the same way.

“Let's roll,” he said, handing over her purse and jacket.

“Sounds good,” she said as she followed him out of the party and onto a waiting elevator.

Once they were finally outside, Charlie handed off his parking ticket to the valet and the man quickly ran off in search of the car. Soon enough, a beautifully restored 1969 Pontiac GTO pulled up in front of them – a birthday gift Charlie had given to himself a year ago. As she slid into her seat, Adele had a realization; it had always been “her” seat, since the first time he'd brought it home, yet after tonight, it would belong to someone else.