Just Filling Space

One

I couldn’t believe this. After all this time, years, she was standing in front of me here in the middle of London—in Starbucks! I didn’t even know she drank coffee…or if she could. She looked so much older, obviously, but so good at the same time. Her face full of color, her eyes bright, teeth blindingly white, curly hair cut short up to her ear. She looked so healthy.

“Rose, you look great.” I almost gasped.

“You too Harry! Look how long your hair got!” She laughed and shook her head. “Wow, it’s been forever.”

“How are you Rose? How old are you now?”

“Seventeen.” Holy shit! “I’ve been driving for a whole week now. And I’ve been in remission for…” She counted on her fingers before continuing. “Six years…or close to that. What’ve you been doing?”

“I teach now. I’ve been working in Sheffield for the past couple years and I came down to visit my parents this weekend.”

“Do you come down a lot?”

“Couple times a month.”

“I can’t believe I’m just now running into you. You know I was just thinking about you the other day.” She shook her head and took a sip from her coffee. “I’ll have to tell Autumn I saw you.”

I swallowed, knowing she would come up in a matter of time. It’d been years since I talked to Autumn, three of four I think. Last I knew she was still in Louisiana living happily with her new doctor boyfriend. Other than that, for three or four years, I have no idea what’s been going on with her, not since the messages and emails stopped.

And I’m also busy with my own life. Too busy to stay hung up on a high school girlfriend, no matter how much I truly did love her. So honestly, up until twenty minutes ago, Autumn was nothing but a distant memory. One that was now making me slightly nervous to revisit.

“She’s…here? In London?”

“No, but she’ll be here in a couple days.”

“Oh,” I rubbed my neck. “Well…I hope she’s doing well.”

“She is! She’s a teacher too. You two should get together when she’s back, she’d love to see you again!”

“Would she?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t she be?” I kept my response to myself. “How do I find you when she gets here?” I was really wary to meet Autumn again. It’d been more than ten years since I saw her in person, but it still felt too soon, like this rushed up on me when I didn’t expect it to. Which it did. Despite my reluctance, I gave Rose my number anyway. It really was nice to see her again and I wouldn’t mind speaking to her another time.

We talked a little longer about how she recovered from that horrible illness she had years ago. She told me she wasn’t completely okay yet, but right now she’s the healthiest she’s ever been. I felt a strange sense of pride for her. She went through so much as just a small child and now look at her—a gorgeous seventeen year old with the same award winning smile. I couldn’t be happier for her.

When we finally went our separate ways, she promised to give me a call when Autumn was back in town, the walked away. I started towards my own car and my mind took off. Nothing good could come from seeing Autumn—at all.

“What took so long?” Natalie asked as I climbed in the car, handing her a coffee. “Was it crowded?”

“Yeah.”

Natalie and I arrive at my parents’ house later that night. She was exhausted but still managed to greet my parents with a big smile and hugs and kisses. Before mum could insist on cooking for us, we went up to my old room, announcing that we were getting to bed early. We laid in bed, my arm around her waist as she faced the other direction, her hands intertwined with mine. I could for the life of me shake the face that Autumn and I just to lay here, just like this. No matter how much I tried, no matter how much I didn’t want it there, I couldn’t get the memory out of me head.