Paul

SIX MONTHS LATER

There she was. Debbie.

She looked amazing. Wow. I missed her so much.

I was going to talk with her.

I sat my glass of punch down on the table and strode towards her table.

The Halloween Dance was even better than the year before. I’d decided to go as Dracula this year. I loved vampires and the novel I’d been writing the past several months had actually turned into a vampire novel and I thought it really worked. I had spent the past few weeks sending it to agents. Now I was just waiting to hear something.

So Dracula was in honor of my book.

When I showed up at the party it was in full swing. Everyone looked great. I loved to see people so committed to really dressing up and showing how much they loved the season.

I was so nervous approaching Debbie. It had been a few months since we’d spoken. She had arrived at my house one day and asked if we could talk.

I was shocked to see her, but very grateful. I’d done nothing but think of what I’d say to her if she ever gave me the chance. And now she was. I felt like some prayers had been answered.

“Listen, I’m sorry I never gave you a chance to explain before about what happened,” Debbie began. “I was angry. But I’m ready to listen if you are ready to explain it to me.”

“Ok,” I said. “I would love the opportunity. Do you want to sit down?”

Debbie sat down on the couch and I joined her.

Then I began.

“I rushed home to see my dad in the hospital. He hung on a while, but he passed away.”

“I’m so sorry,” Debbie said.

“Thanks. I was devastated. I could barely talk for days. And for a while after the funeral I just sank into a sickening depression. I didn’t want to talk to hardly anyone. I couldn’t let you see me that way.”

I proceeded to tell her about my family’s farm and how I had to work to keep it afloat.

“I reached out to you,” I said. “Every time I tried to call I got a message that your number was not in service. And I even created a Facebook account and sent you a friend request hoping we could connect that way.”

“I lost my phone. I had to get a new number and everything,” Debbie said. “I never got any Facebook friend request from you…”

“What? I know I sent it,” I said. “That’s very strange.”

Debbie looked like a thought had just struck her.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I just thought of something. It’s not important.”

“After a while, I just thought you moved on or had forgotten about me,” I said. “But I didn’t think you moved on so quickly…”

Debbie gave me a strange look.

“Wait… you think…no…” Debbie said.

“What?”

Debbie took a deep breath.

“This is your baby. She is due in a few weeks, actually.”

I was floored. My head started to spin but then an excited feeling started to flush through me. I was going to be a father. Debbie, the woman I loved so much, was having my child.

I couldn’t hold back the tears.

“You’re saying I’m going to be a father?” I asked.

Debbie smiled. “Yes. I found out just a few weeks after you left.”

I couldn’t believe it. I’d lost more than I had even thought. Debbie was having my baby.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you and the baby. If I’d had any idea I would have come back in a heartbeat. I would have found a way to make it work,” I said.

And I would have. I meant every single word.

When Debbie left my house that day we agreed to stay in touch and to stay friends. She was happy with this guy she’d been seeing named Roy. I was happy for her. But I still felt crushed that we weren’t going to be together. At least I would be in our baby’s life. I was determined to be the best father I could be.

And maybe by some miracle there might be hope for Debbie and I one day.

Just maybe…

Maybe was all I had left.

And now here we were at the Halloween dance, the place we’d first met.

I was standing behind Debbie’s chair now. Somehow I found my voice and spoke.

“Hi, Debbie,” I said.

Debbie turned around and with a smile on her face said “Hi, Paul.”