4 a.m.
Pff, I'm exhausted, I can barely stand anymore… but… I don't feel like leaving…
Do you want me to drive you home? You can get your car later.
No, I need it, I'm working tomorrow night… well… tonight actually, since it's already Sunday.
You'll be okay, are you sure?
Yes, don't worry. I haven't had anything to drink, you know that. I'll text you if you want.
Yes, please.
Thank you for this evening, I really had a great time thanks to you, I was happy we spent time together.
Yes, me too. I'm delighted your table neighbor canceled.
Do you think we could… well… could we see each other again before… the next wedding?
No.
Oh! Okay, sorry.
No, that's not it, wait. I'm leaving on a mission on Monday for two months.
Two months, that's a long time. Where are you going?
Abroad this time, so I don't even know if I'll be able to call you. But otherwise, I would have loved to see you again. Normally, I'm back on the 28th, so you can block your evening on the 29th—or depending on your schedule, your lunch, your breakfast, your afternoon, I don't know.
Yes, okay, I'll write it down.
Alright, get home safe and send me a message, please.
************
Made it safely into my bed. Thank you for the evening. See you soon.
It was hard to let you go. My mother has a spare set of keys to my apartment if you want to stay there during my absence or just from time to time to spare yourself the back and forth—you're very welcome. Sleep well.
**********
Hi Marie, am I bothering you?
Of course not, sweetheart, come in, I'm happy to see you. How are you?
Not bad after a few turbulent months—things are calming down, let's say.
Yes, I followed it all from afar because your stories are none of my business, but I felt a lot of suffering. I'm happy things are smoothing out a bit on both sides.
Yes, we're taking a step toward each other carefully. We'll see where it leads.
Marc asked me to get his key ready with the address in case you stop by.
I don't know yet if I'll go, but you never know. I'll keep a change-of-clothes bag in my car, and if one evening I'm too tired to make the drive, I'll go to his place.
Do you think it'll be okay? Your mother told me you didn't want to go back to your place anymore.
Yes, it's still complicated, so I'm going to try Marc's place to see. Has he given you any news?
No, not yet. He just called me before leaving to tell me he had offered you his apartment and to briefly explain that you'd run into each other again at your friends' wedding. The last time he left on a mission, he was very happy to get away from here, and this time I sensed he was more troubled—I understand why now.
Yes, it was strange to meet again only to learn that the next day we'd once again not see each other for a long time, but it's probably better—we're taking our time.
**************
Catherine?????
Peter? You scared me.
Uh… well, you too… what… I mean… why… and…
Come on, come in and make a proper sentence please, it'll be easier for me to answer.
So I go away for two weeks and when I come back, you're living at Marc's place and apparently, he's not here.
Yes, that's right, you've got it all figured out. Do you want something to drink?
Yes, I'm going to need one because I clearly missed a pretty important episode here!
Where were you?
In training.
Training again? But you never stop, that's impossible!
Hey, I'm an aircraft mechanic, so I need to learn all types of aircraft. So we changed bases to work on other models. And I come back and the world has changed!
The world, the world… don't exaggerate either.
Well then, tell me! Because last I knew, no one had spoken to each other since the hospital.
Yes, that's true. But don't get carried away either, not much has happened.
You're living at his place though!
Wait, wait. Actually, we ran into each other again at Lisa's wedding.
Oh right, that's true, he had mentioned it. He was looking forward to going, to seeing you again and trying to see if you'd agree to talk to him.
I was also waiting for that event on my side to see how we'd behave. Whether there'd be awkwardness, whether he'd come talk to me, whether we'd have things to say. Basically, to know what would come next.
Apparently, the dialogue started again.
Yes, we ended up sitting next to each other at the table, we had a great evening—but also because the wedding itself was amazing, it was really lovely. I admit we had a hard time parting at 4 a.m., but I absolutely had to go to bed because I was starting shifts the next day. I asked him if we could see each other again and actually, he told me he was leaving on a mission, so impossible.
Oh, such bad timing—what terrible luck….
That was my first reaction too, and in the end maybe it's not such a bad thing, you know. Since we can't call each other, we'll be able to see if we want to see each other again, if we miss each other, etc.
Wow, you're taking it really well—that's great.
Anyway, I don't really have a choice, so I might as well stay positive, otherwise I'll just sink again if I focus on the negative.
You're right. But how did you end up here then?
I moved back in with my parents, so I have a lot of commuting to get to work—it's a real nightmare.
You gave up the apartment?
No, I still have it, but I can't manage to go there anymore. I talked about it with Marc and before leaving, he sent me a text to say he was leaving his new apartment available to me if I needed it.
That's kind—and above all, much more practical and less risky for you.
I wasn't sure I wanted to at first, but honestly the exhaustion forced my hand, and surprisingly I feel good here.
Why surprisingly?
I show up at Marc's place after we've been broken up for months, in an apartment I don't know—it's funny, right?
Yes and no. If you took the step to come and you feel good here, then you made the right choice. You'll notice the décor looks like the previous place—your photos are everywhere.
Yes, that's true… Will you stay and eat with me?
No thanks, I'm going to head back. I just wanted to say hi to Marc, but I didn't know his mission had been brought forward. However, if you're free, we can have dinner together on Thursday.
Thursday works.