Page 68 of The Longest Wait

Again.

Walking home, she thought about work. She didn’t think shewould be cut out for the nine-to-five type gigs, but consulting fromhome was a touch boring. It was great to go to work in pajamas,but not so great to have no one across the desk to talk to. It wasgetting to the point where she was considering getting a pet.

She stopped to get the mail, surprised to see she had a postcard.Who did that anymore? Her heart was such a traitor and raced atthe idea it might be from Alex. Mailing a postcard was somethinghe would get behind.

The front was a picture of the Szechenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest. She flipped it over.

“I’m giving you space the only way I know how. You’re all I canthink about.”

It was his chicken scratch. She knew it was from him eventhough he didn’t sign it. One day of reaching out and one postcard didn’t change a thing, but the thoughtfulness got to her. Shehugged the post card as she went to her apartment.

Chapter 23

SHE DIDN’T TELL anyone about the postcard from Alex. Shecontinued on with her life as if nothing happened. This entailedgoing for a run, doing laundry, and working on her latest project.All in all, life was same old, same old. She wasn’t the type of personwho checked her mail every day because, duh, online bills did theirpart to save the trees, but there was a piece of her that kept herfingers crossed it wasn’t a one-time deal. Somehow, one postcardgave her something to look forward too.

She did a happy dance in the hallway where the mailboxes werein her apartment building. Alex sent another postcard two dayslater. This time from Vienna and it was of Schonbrunn Palace. Hismessage was on the back.

“When I bring you to Vienna, you will love all of the architecturehere. I think only of you.”

When was underlined a few times and it made Sofia giddy.She ran back up to her apartment and researched the hell outof Schonbrunn Palace because she had no idea the history andstory behind it. Alex, while giving her space, also gave her hopeand intrigued her. It was as if she was on his adventure with him.She didn’t have an option to respond back to him with no returnaddress, so she got creative.

182

THREE WEEKS PASSED and Sofia had ten postcards. All of hismessages were short, sweet, and filled with love. When he was inSantorini, Greece he wrote on the back of a picture of a winery.

“The wine here has a unique taste because of volcanos. I wonderif you would like it. I’m bringing a bottle home for you. I miss you.”

He took off for Prague and the postcard was an overview ofthe city.

“This view is beautiful. The only thing missing is you.”

Then there was Paris, and instead of the Eifel Tower, he senta picture of Promenade Plantee. A postcard of Toulouse and thePink City terracotta bricks made her wish she could see all of thecolor. Then, he was off to the Nice.

“The beaches are beautiful, but nothing compares to you. You areperfect, inside and out.”

He finished his trip in Belgium. The postcard from Tournaihad her researching for days everything about the historical town.She devoured all of the detail about the gothic churches and medieval artwork.

The last postcard came from Bruges and it was a beautiful viewof the canal leading to the Grote Market.

“From every place I visited on this trip, there was something alwaysmissing. You are my missing piece.”

Her heart melted. His words lit up her day, and the space heprovided her was what she needed. It gave her time to face thefacts. Ten years was a long time to hold a grudge. Especially if itaffected her future.

SOFIA WAS READY to go for a run. It was warm in June, soshe wasn’t sure how long she would last. She stepped outside herapartment and the man she missed more than ever leaned againstthe hall, across from her door. They stared at each other, neither ofthem making a move, until Alex closed the gap between them. Hereached for her and grazed her cheek against his palm.“I don’t deserve you,” he told her.

“I know.”

He laughed. “May I come in?”

She opened her door, as he wheeled a suitcase behind him.

They both walked to her couch and got comfortable on opposite ends.

“Sofia, I love you. I need to tell you that first.”

Her body tingled at his words.

To hear for the first time, the man she loved for over ten yearsloved her too; it was an overwhelming feeling. It was hard for herto not go to him, wrap her arms around him, and share the wordsback to him, but they needed to talk. Their past needed closure sothey could move forward with their future.