don’t have to be married anymore.”
“That’s what caused our first fight,” Hannah replied.
“U-huh, I can see how it would. He told you then?”
“With a little digging. I’m not sure he would have.”
“How serious are you about what’s happening here, Hannah? I mean, is there really a purpose to us having this conversation or will you leave in a few weeks and never look back? It would be easy enough to do.”
“Have you met Charlie? Anyone who thinks leaving him would be easy doesn’t have a firm grasp on reality.”
“I’ll pretend my all consuming love for Eric prohibits me from seeing your point. I’m sure my grasp on reality is intact.” She laughed again. “I haven’t eaten all day, I need to slow down or I’ll be drunk for my dinner.”
“I can understand why Nadia wouldn’t want to leave him, but she can’t expect him to give up a family of his own for her. Why would she want to stay with a man that doesn’t love her that way?”
“Simple,” Melanie said. “She thinks he will. She knows about you, you know.”
“Not that I’m here.”
“No, but she knows you’re the one person who could take Charles away from her. That’s probably why he didn’t tell her. Why hurt her if you’re not going to stick around?”
“That’s what he said. Are you sure you two haven’t talked?”
“Positive. But I’m sure that’s what he said because I know him, Hannah. He’s been our friend for years. I also know that he loves you and if he’s going to truly settle down with anyone, he wants it to be you.”
Hannah mulled it over. How could she really know if he loved her? He’d been in love with an image of her that he’d carried around for years. He was only now starting to really figure out whom she was. She was in the same boat. He’d been the cute neighbor with the exciting life in New York but how much did she even know about him?
Was he really ready to settle down and start a family? And even if he was, what if she couldn’t give it to him? Lots of her friends were still having kids but it wasn’t a given that it would happen for everyone. What would he be giving up by attaching himself to an older woman?
“You’re worried he doesn’t really love you, that he doesn’t know you because you haven’t really ever been friends,” Melanie said.
“That has crossed my mind. I also worry about the age difference.”
“Well, that’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Excuse me?” Hannah asked, somewhat taken aback.
“Age is really just a number. It’s your soul that matters. Look at Eric and me. We’ve got 15 years between us but our souls are in exactly the same place.”
“You realize that sounds cheesy as hell, right?” Hannah asked.
Melanie dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Yes, but it’s true. I love Eric so much.”
Hannah felt the laughter bubbling up inside her. Melanie’s exuberance was contagious.
When things settled down, Melanie signaled for the check.
“Listen, Hannah. I think you love him and I know that’s scary, but when you meet the person that you know is the one, you have to grab that opportunity in the moment. Forget about Nadia. Use this time to convince him and yourself that you have a future together and when she gets back, it won’t matter. He’ll choose you.”
She reached out and took Melanie’s hand, “I think you might be right. I just needed to hear someone tell me to do it.”
Melanie got quiet and a more serious look came over her face.
“Don’t hurt him,” she said. “His feelings for you are his homeport in the storm, his true north, if you will. If he loses you now, he’s lost the dream of you, too. I’m not sure he could take that, and as much as I like you, I’d hate you forever for it.”
Hannah gave her hand a squeeze and stood up.
“Hurting him is the last thing I want to do.”
“Good. Now get home to him. I’ve got a date with a sexy older man.”
They parted ways at the
“That’s what caused our first fight,” Hannah replied.
“U-huh, I can see how it would. He told you then?”
“With a little digging. I’m not sure he would have.”
“How serious are you about what’s happening here, Hannah? I mean, is there really a purpose to us having this conversation or will you leave in a few weeks and never look back? It would be easy enough to do.”
“Have you met Charlie? Anyone who thinks leaving him would be easy doesn’t have a firm grasp on reality.”
“I’ll pretend my all consuming love for Eric prohibits me from seeing your point. I’m sure my grasp on reality is intact.” She laughed again. “I haven’t eaten all day, I need to slow down or I’ll be drunk for my dinner.”
“I can understand why Nadia wouldn’t want to leave him, but she can’t expect him to give up a family of his own for her. Why would she want to stay with a man that doesn’t love her that way?”
“Simple,” Melanie said. “She thinks he will. She knows about you, you know.”
“Not that I’m here.”
“No, but she knows you’re the one person who could take Charles away from her. That’s probably why he didn’t tell her. Why hurt her if you’re not going to stick around?”
“That’s what he said. Are you sure you two haven’t talked?”
“Positive. But I’m sure that’s what he said because I know him, Hannah. He’s been our friend for years. I also know that he loves you and if he’s going to truly settle down with anyone, he wants it to be you.”
Hannah mulled it over. How could she really know if he loved her? He’d been in love with an image of her that he’d carried around for years. He was only now starting to really figure out whom she was. She was in the same boat. He’d been the cute neighbor with the exciting life in New York but how much did she even know about him?
Was he really ready to settle down and start a family? And even if he was, what if she couldn’t give it to him? Lots of her friends were still having kids but it wasn’t a given that it would happen for everyone. What would he be giving up by attaching himself to an older woman?
“You’re worried he doesn’t really love you, that he doesn’t know you because you haven’t really ever been friends,” Melanie said.
“That has crossed my mind. I also worry about the age difference.”
“Well, that’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Excuse me?” Hannah asked, somewhat taken aback.
“Age is really just a number. It’s your soul that matters. Look at Eric and me. We’ve got 15 years between us but our souls are in exactly the same place.”
“You realize that sounds cheesy as hell, right?” Hannah asked.
Melanie dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Yes, but it’s true. I love Eric so much.”
Hannah felt the laughter bubbling up inside her. Melanie’s exuberance was contagious.
When things settled down, Melanie signaled for the check.
“Listen, Hannah. I think you love him and I know that’s scary, but when you meet the person that you know is the one, you have to grab that opportunity in the moment. Forget about Nadia. Use this time to convince him and yourself that you have a future together and when she gets back, it won’t matter. He’ll choose you.”
She reached out and took Melanie’s hand, “I think you might be right. I just needed to hear someone tell me to do it.”
Melanie got quiet and a more serious look came over her face.
“Don’t hurt him,” she said. “His feelings for you are his homeport in the storm, his true north, if you will. If he loses you now, he’s lost the dream of you, too. I’m not sure he could take that, and as much as I like you, I’d hate you forever for it.”
Hannah gave her hand a squeeze and stood up.
“Hurting him is the last thing I want to do.”
“Good. Now get home to him. I’ve got a date with a sexy older man.”
They parted ways at the
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