Hello, Julie

That moment when our eyes met, I didn't know what to feel or how to react. All I knew was that my heart was beating madly and my hands became clammy. My mind went blank and instinctively turned away to look at the cup of now cold chocolate.

I bit my lower lip. I wanted to look at him again but my pride got the better of me. What for? Didn't he leave me a long time ago?

While my mind was beginning to wander down memory lane, I felt a bold presence beside me. There he was sitting on the cushioned stool next to me. He was so quiet I hardly felt him come near the table.

I couldn't help but turn to look at him with nervousness. I could hardly breathe.

"Hello, Julie. It's been a long time." He still spoke with that crisp baritone voice. I felt a cold shiver down my spine.

"Yea," my voice was so soft I wasn't sure if he heard me. I looked at may hands clasping the cold chocolate cup. What the heck. I didn't expect to see him after a long, long time. What's the point of starting a conversation with him. Gosh! Can't he just leave and get out of my life like what he did before?

The silence was getting awkward. I could only give him that one syllable reply. That's all that was left of my emotional strength at the moment. Maybe, on his part, he was feeling guilty and couldn't continue afterwards.

How I wish I could make him suffer now as how he made me suffer back then. But I've learned through the years that if a person's not worth my time, I shouldn't spend my energy getting back at him. Might as well pretend he's not here.

I checked my time again and began to be impatient with my three friends. I couldn't tell if they set me up with this jerk beside me. At our age, should we still be playing games?

"Julie....Julie...." He softly called my name nervously. He must have felt my cold attitude towards him. Forty years ago I might have melted from that cool masculine voice, but now all I felt was contempt.

"I'm sorry." He looked at me with misty eyes.

I still couldn't face him even when he said those words that I've been waiting for him to say. Yes. I wanted you to be sorry for leaving me. I wanted you to feel regret for not trying hard enough to find me.

"Talk to me, Julie, please."

"And then, what?" I gave him a stabbing look. If I was meek a moment ago, I felt brave and bold now. I hated his guts.

Just then I heard boisterous voices entering the cafe. My dear bestfriends are here now. Thank heavens, I wouldn't have to put up with this person beside me.

They waved at me and kept the lively conversation they were at when they entered. But when they realized I had company, they became silent, looked at each other and gave me a quizzical look.

I just shrugged my shoulders casually implying that they should not overthink it.

" Is this Aaron Mercado?" Brenda asked looking surprised as she approached our table first. Lizzie and Molly followed with the same wonder on their faces.

Aaron stood up and towered over the four of us. He smiled sheepishly as he inserted his hands in his pockets, his trademark stance when feeling proud. "Yes, that's me. It's been quite a long time, Brenda? Lily and Mally?" Until now he couldn't get my friends' names right? There were many times when my bestfriends connived with him just to ask his friends for dates.

"It's Lizzie and Molly," both women corrected him as they sat down opposite us. Brenda sat at the head of the table.

Aaron felt his face flushed.

" What in the world is this? You suddenly appeared out of nowhere?" Lizzie asked as she flipped her wavy shoulder length hair.

"You can say that. I'm Tom's Cafe new owner."

"What?!?" We all exclaimed. It couldn't be true. Brenda should have known but her uncle never told her who he sold it to.

"I bought it two years ago. During that time, I haven't seen you come here." He probably was wondering. Tom's Cafe was our usual hangout even during college, or when we were already working.

"We just came back from abroad, the four of us," informed Molly. "So this is the first time we're hanging out together here."

"Is there anything you'd like to drink? It's on the house, for old time's sake," Aaron happily offered. He stole a glance at me and saw that I was fiddling with my spoon. His smile suddenly disappeared. He seemed bothered by my indifference.

The three women didn't mind me. They ordered their drinks which did not include hot chocolate anymore. They have trained their tongues to taste a variety of brewed coffee during our stay in Canada. I, however stuck to my all-time favorite hot chocolate.

Aaron called one of the servers and ordered our hot drinks. Then he sat beside me again. "What have you all been doing lately?" He was directing the question to my friends. He seemed to know that I would not be in the mood to join in the conversation. He was being patient and considerate with my temperament. He had always been that way to me.

"We have decided to retire early in our career. So now we just travel around the world," Brenda replied with pride. "And leave our hubbies and kids behind to fend for themselves."

"How about you, Aaron? Where's your wife?" Lizzie asked without batting an eyelash.

Oh, oh, Lizzie, what are you up to?