Words: The Conclusion

When she returned from the toilet and sat down across from him in an uncomfortable chair that was part of her 'furnished' apartment. He raised his glass and said, "A warm hello to someone I think about every day."

She smiled and was choked up at first but finally said, "Same here, Mike."

He then said, "I came over here to propose something. The ID tags you placed on the property that is your furniture items since the split are still there while I have been using the furniture while I await your hired moving company to get them. Heaven forbid, Looking around here, you have not unloaded most of those bags you brought over. Kristi, you need a better place to live!"

She smiled at Mike and said, "I agree. Just what do you propose?"

He looked into her eyes and said, "Let's do again what we did 13 years ago, and share my apartment on a 60-day trial. If the past nine months doesn't become history for you and me both, you move out in two months and take your property with you. Otherwise, we go on together. Kristi, we would not be putting back together what we had; rather, we would be attempting to build a new relationship - and it might not work. If that becomes the case, we will continue to be friends because we have shared too many good times together not to be friends forever."

Kristi breathed out, "Whew! I have to think about this, Mike."

Reaching again into his coat pocket he pulled out three legal-size sheets and offered them. He said, "I agree, you should think about it. So you can think it over, I am flying to Salt Lake in the morning returning in four days on the listed flight on the third sheet of paper. Please think about all the positive and negative things concerning my proposal. The other two sheets are a state-recognized rental agreement. If you decide our future together is for you and are awaiting me at baggage claim, every day of my life will find me trying to make you happy. But if you decide not to, there are no hard feelings anymore, and I wish you well. I do ask that you remove your furniture ASAP if that is the case. I am not a praying man, but, Kristi, I want this to happen so badly until..."

She took the paper and moved toward Mike with open arms, but he blocked her advance and said, "Not yet, Kristi. If you feel this way in four days, then please be at the airport waiting. " Trying to be lighter and humorous, he continued, "Besides that, I have an early morning flight tomorrow and will be taking Super Shuttle - and I only have a one-way ticket on the shuttle. So, because of that, I will need a ride home. Heh heh. I am depending on you."

It was late Thursday afternoon, and the 'The board's representative versus the majority share owner was the most tedious case he could remember. Mike felt drained of energy but he couldn't relax for hoping against hope Kristi would be waiting for him. The 737 finally sat down after a record-breaking turbulent flight as well - the passengers even cheered the pilots for a job well done after the airplane was safely on the ground.

As soon as the arrival bell dinged Mike shot to his feet all of a sudden boiling with energy. He closed his eyes when he walked through the rotating door leading to baggage claim. On the other side, he stood still and cautiously opened his eyes.

Kristi was wearing her skinny jeans and long, pointed nipple outlines faintly showed on her blouse. The last time he had seen this hairdo was when she was a bridesmaid a year ago - she called it her 'Neiman Marcus hairdo.' Her dazzling white teeth caught the reflected light just as the sight of her body caught the attention of most of the men awaiting their baggage.

Both started crying profusely as they just held each other. She finally kissed him chastely on the cheek and said, "May I give you a ride to our new home, Mister Absalom?"

The End.

*****

Epilogue: Three years later they both flew to Malaysia and journeyed by rail to an orphanage. They then returned home with each holding a twin baby they had adopted.