"This Brewer's Pub sound like a great idea," she said, "I want to get to know your favorite places so I can get to know you again. I am staying at the Four Season's Hotel and in this cool autumn weather, that will be a very pleasant walk."
"The Four Season's is a pricey hotel," I observed. "You must be doing very well."
"I'm am," she said. "You have a lot of catching up to do. Here is the abbreviated version." She said relaxing in her chair as thought this was going to take a few minutes. A couple of students had accumulated and were waiting outside so I pushed the door shut with my foot.
"After you left town, I became very depressed. The whole family was worried that I might do something I would regret. I felt very guilty about your leaving and wanted to call you but I had no idea what to say. After six months of moping around and getting really skinny, Uncle Earl convinced me to take a class in martial arts. His reason was that if I felt physically in control I would eventually feel emotionally in control. It turned out to be a great idea."
I thought back to the fight in the mall and how it had given me a sense of control over my own life. I also thought, with a chill, that it had happened at almost the same time that it happened with Julie.
"I really got into the physical fitness and martial arts routine. It felt perfect for me." Julie continued.
"Yeah, you have apparently kept yourself in great shape." I added, trying to hold in my stomach a bit without being too obvious.
"I reached second level black belt and began working as a martial arts instructor."
"So you're teaching martial arts? I'll have to make sure I don't make a wrong move." I kidded, although I clearly appreciated my humor more than she did.
Julie waved the comment away. "No. That didn't pay very much. But, in one of my classes was a guy who worked for the WorldView Travel Agency. WorldView has a team of inspectors who go on their tours and write reports on services and accommodations. It is how they maintain the quality of their tour and vacation offerings. They had an opening for an attractive female traveling alone which they had a hard time keeping filled. Some of the tours could be a little dangerous so they needed somebody who could take care of herself. A young attractive martial arts instructor was exactly what they needed. The pay was terrific so I took the job."
"Sounds like great work if you can get it." I observed, not really wanting to interrupt.
"Most women don't stay in it for very long." She continued. "They get involved with someone and can't handle all the travelling. But for me it was perfect. I was unattached so I could travel two thirds of the time. I loved traveling so it really wasn't like work. And further, I spent most of my time on expenses so almost all of my income goes straight into the bank."
"Are you still doing this?" I asked avoiding the question that I really wanted to ask.
"For the most part." She replied. "Although now I am a supervisor and a trainer. But I still travel a lot which is why I will only be here for a few days."
"What about involvements?" I asked, hoping that the euphemism would allow me to ask without my voice creaking.
"No." She said slowly. "No involvements." Her look of confidence weakened for just a moment, but she regained her composure and smiled that wonderful warming smile again. Her face said - well, now that we've gotten that out of the way and her eyes danced to the same beat as my heart.
Dinner at the Brewer's Pub slipped by like the last hour of a great movie. Julie told me about the exotic places she had been and some of the behind the scene aspects of packaged vacations. I told her about detective work and some of my projects in cyberspace. It wasn't just like it was before - it was better. We had both improved with age and the missing time seemed unimportant.
When the waiter brought the check, Julie tried to take it. But I preferred being gallant to being modern and wouldn't even let her split it. The fact that the interest on her accumulated money probably exceeded my annual income seemed of no consequence.
She asked me if I would like to come back to the Four Seasons for a nightcap. I paused for a moment not wanting to blurt out agreement too quickly and she interjected "You don't have to if it would make you uncomfortable."
I managed to regain my poise and replied, "No, I would like that very much."
The walk back to the Four Seasons was very pleasant. The air was cool and filled with mystery and anticipation.
I felt a tension as I entered her room. There were still unanswered questions that I wanted to know about before things progressed too far. But I wasn't sure when we should discuss them.
"I know you have some questions, Taddy." She said as she opened the small refrigerator in her suite. "But I hope they can wait till tomorrow." It always felt like she was reading my mind.
From the refrigerator she took out a six pack of Sam Smith's Taddy Porter and a bottle of some wine that I wouldn't even try to pronounce.
"That's one of my favorite beers!" I blurted out. "How did you know?"
"It wasn't so difficult." She replied. "It's listed on your home page. Besides I liked the name 'Taddy'. It's like they made it just for you." She poured a glass for me and the hoppy edge of the porter teased my palate and washed away any concerns that I might have had.
We went out to the balcony to look at the night sky. "When you are young and in love" I waxed poetic, "you like looking at the night sky because the vastness of the universe is the only thing that compares with the vastness of your longing."
She moved closer to me and I put my arm around her waist.
"Why did you look me up, Julie?" I asked, just trying to make conversation. I also wanted to ask how she liked my web page, but felt that should wait for another time.
"Because you never forget your first love." She said.
I looked deeply into those sapphire eyes and said, "No. I guess you don't." Then I kissed her. It was a moment I wanted to have last forever. When I came up for air I looked deeply into her eyes again. Nothing needed to be said. We put our drinks down on the balcony table and went inside to finish what we started over twenty-five years ago.