h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

She arrives at the Regency just before 7. Forget about being fashionably late, this is not a time for waiting. Just before entering the cocktail lounge she checks the mirror, and smooths down the skin tight dress chosen especially for this evening. She pauses at the door, and skims the room with her eyes.
He is nowhere to be seen, but it is still early.
She walks to the bar, and begins to order a drink when the barman interrupts.
"The gentleman said you would like this" he says, and hands her a long glass. As she sips, all the memories of the last time she drank it come flooding back. She closes her eyes and is quite lost in her thoughts.
Then, she feels a warm breath on the back of her neck which sends tingles of anticipation down her spine.
"Aah" she sighs softly.
Without opening her eyes she reaches for his hand.

It had been a busy few hours since she had breezed into his office, and just as abruptly had to leave. What a time for his pager to go off! The meeting had been a waste of time. His boss had wanted a status report on a project that he knew damn well wasn't due to start until next week. The Old Man was starting to lose it slightly. Annoyed as he was, it wasn't the old boys fault. He had too much to think about just now, with his wife of 47 years in hospital, and him due to retire in a few months. He was only tring to make sure the transition went smoothly and relies on me to make sure that it does.
These thoughts whirled through his mind as he sped back to his house to get ready. The thoughts jostled for dominance in his mind, and some of them brought more questions. Where had she been, and to just appear like that, after all this time! This brought back the first of the nice memories, the first time they met, their first kiss, that last summer together, and then the memories he had tried to suppress came flooding forth. The 'Dear John' note, the feeling of loss that took oh so long to get over, and his eventual marriage to Eleanor. That had been good. And then the loss again. The tradgic car accident that had taken the only other person he had loved away from him, so swiftly. So finally. That loss had been even worse! Again over time, the wounds had healed, almost. He had thrown himself into his work with almost Deathwish-like abandon. Anything to keep busy, to forget. That's why he was in the position he was in today, with the Old Man relying on him so much. A position of trust! But at what price? She had been on her way to pick him up after yet another late meeting. The lorry had pulled out of nowhere. Mercifully it was quick. The autopsy had shown that the impact had broken her neck. Three long and empty years ago. His frenzied zeal at work had kept him pretty much on his own since then. Oh he went out for dinner with friends, did the 'drinks' thing, but always, always the work was uppermost.
And now this. The dinner invitation had been sheer impulse, and as he got ready, he very nearly cancelled, but realised he didn't know where she was staying. So he had showered, shaved, got out a fresh shirt, and a clean suit, carefully chosen his tie, as usual, and on another impulse used the cufflinks that she had given him so long ago.
He felt a pang of guilt at that. The diamond ones Eleanor had given him for their 5th anniversary, gleamed up at him from the box. Guilt!
He had shut the box quickly, and thought again of just not turning up.
But questions needed answered, and the opportunity to lay another ghost to rest, if nothing else was drive enough for him to order the taxi and to take him to the Regency early enough to place the drinks order just before she arrived.
He sat in a quiet corner, waiting, watching, sipping his drink. And then there she was.
The waiter placed the pre ordered drink in front of her. He finished his whisky. Deep breath, and approached from behind. He stood directly behind her, his breath light on her neck. He heard her sigh, and took the hand that reached out for him.
'Hello', he said.

She turned round and without releasing his hand, studied his face for a while before speaking. There were so many cares and worries written on it that she had never seen before. What had happened ? She caught his eyes and smiled.
"You look well" she said
He smiled too, and began to look a little more like the man she knew. Still holding his hand she touched the cufflink with her finger. Was this chance, or had he chosen them carefully? The man she knew had left nothing to chance.
As she was about to ask, the pianist in the corner of the lounge finished the tune he had been playing. With a deferential nod in their direction he began "It Had To Be You".
Not chance then. She laughed and shook her head. "You remember everything" she said. "I though it was just me"
"I've never forgotten a single moment" he said in a firm voice.
It was then he noticed the necklace, and experienced the powerful memory of the day he gave it to her...

Ah, the picnic, the boating on the river, him falling in and then producing the necklace, along with a handfull of pondweed. Good times.
But short lived. What about the now? Why was she here?
He turns and orders another Glenmorangie and a Singapore Sling for her. 'So Janet, what brings you here, after all this time? The last I heard you were married and had moved out to California. With Gordon.'
He shudders at the name, recalling her 'Dear John' letter explaining the fact that while she loved him, she was 'in love' with Gordon and they were eloping. It was a whirlwind romance, and don't try to look for her, she was sorry, she never meant to hurt him, but she had. She had broken her parents hearts along with his own.
Still time had passed, she was here now.
She sees the older hurt reflected in his eyes, 'Yes, I am..no, was married and did move to California with Gordon, but he died of a heart attack 2 months ago. It was very sudden, but while I feel sorry for Charlotte, our daughter, don't feel sorry for me. It was over some time ago, work made us drift apart. Charlotte was the only thing keeping us together. She never knew about our problems. Which is just as well. A clean break. There, I've said it. You are the first person I have told, about our problems. I could always tell you things I could never tell anyone else.' She takes hold of his hand and he sees a tear roll down her cheek. He reaches up and wipes it away gently with his thumb, his hand cupping her cheek tenderly. She looks up at him then. She seems more beautiful than ever, so fragile and vulnerable. He kisses her. Tenderly. She returns the kiss, but only briefly. She pulls away slightly, whispering, 'Not now, not yet. Excuse me, I must just fix myself, I must look a state.' 'No you don't' How could she ever in his eyes? 'I'll be back in a minute, we'll talk.' she turns to go. 'Fine. I'll wait' he smiles. She squeezes his hand and heads for the ladies room. He watches her go.
'Fool, Fool. What were you thinking? How could you be so insensitive?'

He sips his drink, berating himself for being so callous, so forward. What made him do it? He sees her approach in the bar mirror, and turns. She is fully compsed again, the confident air back in her step, her manner. 'God, Janet, I'm so sorry.'

She smiles, and he remembers this so well. "Charles, please don't mind me. Let's forget about that for a while. Have I told you how good it was to see you today?"
He can see the same sparkle in her eye that had drawn them together. She was always a lot of fun to be with, impulsive some might call it. That was why she had eloped. Just a spur of the moment idea but, after all, she had tried to make it work. He wondered if there was anyone else now, but dare not ask. Was that why she would not kiss him? He longed to hold her again. Dancing earlier had given them an excuse, and it had felt so good, but here was neither the time or the place.
They both watch as a couple walk by, hand in hand, laughing. Both of them look and at exactly the same time they say
"That was us once"
They both laugh. Once again, some of the cares and worries on his face seem to wash away. It's exactly what he needs. He wonders how on earth he could ever have had second thoughts about meeting her again. Remembering that she had found him that afternoon, he asks
"How did you know where I was?"
She laughs again. "You're not hard to find. I was always reading about the company and it's dynamic director. I just had to make sure it was you. Did you ever do anything except work?"
"I thought of you" he says, and immediately wonders if he should have kept this where it had always been. Secret.
She looks away. Softly she replies "I thought of you too".
He takes one hand and with the other he lifts her head. Once again he falls into the pools that are her eyes. Neither of them want to break the gaze...