"I shouldn't even have to answer that question," Theo said.
I could tell by the sound of his voice from over the phone that he was moving.
"Yes, you should be moving right now. I can't believe I was in the same room with you tonight. Please tell me you're not messing with me right now. I'm in an elevator, heading toward wherever it is you are. I don't even know where I'm going. Where am I going, Caroline?"
"I'm just a few blocks away. I'm at a place called The Vintage, I think." I spoke breathlessly.
It was necessary for me to do a quick check in the mirror before I rushed out of the door, so I ran into the bathroom and gave myself a once over, tucking and fluffing here and there.
"I'm getting in the elevator, too." I said, even though I wasn't quite to that point yet. I flashed my teeth in the mirror to make sure nothing was stuck between them.
"I know the place," Theo said. "I'll head in that direction."
"Do you want to stay on the phone the whole time?" I asked.
"It's up to you," Theo said.
Before I could tell him my opinion, I heard murmuring voices and background noise, and then I heard Theo begin speaking again. After only a few words, I realized he wasn't talking to me.
"Lane, she's awake. Hey, bro, she's awake, man. (pause) Caroline. Yes. I'm on the phone with her right now. (pause) I knew it, man, I told you. I'm going over there right now, she's in New—hey Zoe, you were probably right about seeing Caroline today, she was here. (pause) I swear. Right now. She's here. I'm talking to her right now. I’m going there. (pause) Three months ago. I gotta go, I'll be back in a few. (pause and rustling) Thank you!" Theo called. "You there?" he asked in a quieter tone aimed at the phone. "I'm sorry. You there, Caroline?"
I had a huge smile on my face as a result of the comments he made to his friends. I could tell by the things he said and the way he said them that he loved me, and it made me ache to get to him. There was literally a tingling ache in my whole body.
"I'm here," I said.
"Where are you?"
"Here," I said.
"Exactly where is here?" he asked.
"The elevator in my hotel."
"Okay, I'm already on the street," he said. "I'm headed your way. We're on opposite sides, but I'll cross to your side."
"Okay, so you'll be on my side?" I asked.
"Yes, I'll be on your side. Don't cross over."
My palms were sweaty, and I paced the elevator. It stopped on the second floor, and a lady got in, taking her dear sweet time stepping on as if we had all the time in the world. Once she was securely inside, I reached out and hit the button for the first floor again just to encourage the doors to close. They did. I had the phone to my ear this whole time. Theo wasn't talking, and I knew from the background noise that he was walking on the street. I feared that the lady would turn around and make conversation with me, but she didn't. She just stood, facing the elevator door and not looking at me at all.
"I can see the flags on your hotel," Theo said. "I'm on the same side, now. It's getting dark out here. Be careful. You can just wait in front of your hotel if you want. I'll be there in just a minute."
We finally made it to the lobby, and I zigzagged around the lady since she was moving slower than me. I walked quickly through the lobby and then out onto the sidewalk while still holding my phone to my ear. I turned in the direction of S&S, scanning the sidewalk for any sign of Theo. There wasn't a ton of pedestrian traffic, but I still didn't see him right away. I started walking in his direction.
"I'm on the sidewalk," I said breathlessly.
"Ohhhh, I see you Caroline. I can't believe my eyes. Blue shirt. Oh, God, it's you."
It was obvious by the rustling noise and the sound of his voice that he was moving quickly, and I scanned horizon, looking for anyone that fit his description.
And then I saw him.
He'd been behind a group of people, but he caught up to them and moved to the side, and there he was—staring at me with only about the distance of city block between us.
I waved and he waved back. I watched as he turned off his phone and slipped it into his back pocket. I did the same with mine.
I headed toward him as best I could, but I felt as though we were walking in slow motion. I got to the end of my block, and he gestured with an uplifted finger for me to stay on the corner, and that he would come to me.
I could barely breathe as Theo closed the remaining distance. He had dark hair and features, and he moved with a certain bodily awareness that made me know he was athletic. I knew him as the boy in the library, and more than that, I knew him in my heart.
I stood motionless as I watched him approach, knowing in my innermost being that I loved this man. Not just because he was gorgeous either, but also because I knew by his expression that he loved me back. I smiled and waved, and Theo just shook his head, as he closed the remaining few steps. He moved as if he was about to reach in and swoop me off my feet but then he hesitated right before he grabbed me. "Is it okay if I… " He trailed off, touching my shoulders with the utmost control and restraint as if he was afraid I might shatter to pieces if he moved too quickly. I smiled at him, and it caused him to pull away from me and clinch his fists and then wipe his face with hands as he stared upward. His face wiggled and squirmed the way men do when they don't want to cry. He took a deep breath before focusing on me again. He looked into my eyes for a few seconds and then glanced away, blinking. I could see tears forming in his eyes and it made the same thing happen in mine. My eyes stung with the pain of unshed tears.
"Don't," I said.
"I can't help it," he said, staring straight into my eyes.
I was so swept away by staring at him, that I didn't even realize he had taken me into his arms and was now holding me. There was a little foot traffic on the sidewalk, but neither of us acknowledged the people walking by. He held me close to him with both hands around my back, and we completely ignored our surroundings.
"Do you know this is the first time I've ever seen you?" I whispered. "As a man, I mean—and in person. I'm checking you out."
He shifted a little to stare towards one side and then the other, letting me take a look at both sides of his face. "Feel free to take it all in, but just so you know, it's too late to change your mind. I'm planning on holding you to all that stuff you committed to already."
"I'm pretty sure I won't mind being held to whatever I told you," I said with a smile.
"Good, because we're already a thing, you and me. You already told me you love me and everything."
"I did?" I asked. "I thought we just spent one weekend together. Did I really say that?"
"No," he said, smiling. "Not in English, at least. But you should. I know you do."
I grinned. "It seems crazy for me to even say this, but I think you're right. I think I do."
"I know you do," he said. "You just have to remember."
"Or I could just feel it new."
"Yep, or you could feel it new," he said. "I stayed in a really nice house with a pool when I was in Florida with you. I pulled you into the deep end, and we swam in our clothes, and then I kissed you."
I laughed as I touched his cheeks with my fingertips. I wanted desperately to relive the moment he was describing. I closed my eyes and thought of what it would be like seeing him in a swimming pool.
"What?" he asked when he saw me close my eyes.
"I was imagining being in this same position only in a pool."
He grinned. "It was good."
I glanced at our current city-street surroundings. "This is pretty good, too."
"Yep. I really don't care where we are. I'm just shocked that you're standing here talking to me, Caroline. It's seriously a miracle. I knew it wasn't right that just when I found you I lost you. I knew you had to come back to me. I felt it." He smiled. "And I'm pretty much a professional at praying by now, so there's that."
"I'm still amazed that you're my fake Canadian boyfriend from middle school," I said. "It's crazy that I got in touch with you."
That comment caused Theo to speak in French, which made me grip his arms tightly as I listened intently. He finished what he was saying, and I made a little whimpering noise, telling him I hated that it was over. He gave me a half smile as he said another phrase in his first language.
"What'd you say?" I asked.
"You don't want to know," he said.
"I think you're right," I said. "I think I like not knowing what you're saying when you speak French."
"I know. You already told me that."
"Did I?"
He nodded. "You told me lots of things."
"I did?"
"Uh-huh."
"Like what?"
He shrugged. "Lots of things."
I couldn't stop looking at his face, and specifically his mouth. I had memorized it when I was a little girl, and there it was, the same sweet mouth that gave me my very first kiss. I traced the soft indention of his upper lip.
"I'm having trouble remembering what you said a minute ago about the swimming pool," I said. "You said you came down to Florida, and we got in the pool, and…" I trailed off, pretending that I actually couldn’t remember.
"I didn't just kiss you once, either," he said.
"No?"
He shook his head, looking me over with an appraising grin. "No. We did it lots of times." He leaned closer to me. He stared at my mouth like he was about to do it, and I unintentionally held my breath.
"What did we do?" I asked, feeling like I'd do or say anything to get him to put his lips on mine.
"We kissed," he said.
"I remember you kissing me when we were kids," I said. "Is that what you're talking about?"
He shook his head seriously. "No, no, not that," he said. "No, I'm talking about something more recent than that." He put his mouth where it was only an inch or two from mine.
"You mean I've done this before?" I whispered breathlessly.
He nodded. "I think you can remember if you try hard enough."
I squeezed my eyes shut tight as if trying to remember and then I opened them, noticing that we were still standing torturously close. "You might have to remind me," I said.
I felt his warm breath on my lips as he whispered, "Caroline, you're really here with me."
I smiled. "You knew I would be," I said.
He nodded. "You're right, I did."