Fugue # 54

(You left her, Gene. You did.)

Her smile is different: wiser, but lonelier.

- Paulie?
- Emily?
- Hi...
- Wow.

He’s buying beer, she’s buying groceries. It’s a small world right now. They’re smiling, happy to see each other, at least until the the awkwardness of years apart reaches and overtakes them.

- So, I don’t know what to say.
- Neither do I.
- How are you? Where have you been?
- New York. New York City, actually.
- New York?
- Yeah, it’s weird...

Her eyes well up. It was bound to happen. She says, " Paul, I’m so sorry." He says, "I am, too." And they hug each other, tightly, holding up the line behind them.

(You left her. And I still don’t know why. Did you know what was coming?)