The Journey into a Man's Broken Heart

With my bags packed and in my hand, I took one last look at my bedroom before turning off the light and shutting the door. I took my phone from its holster so that I could call for a taxi. I could have called someone that I knew but I wanted to enjoy these last few moments of peace and quiet. It took about fifteen minutes before I heard the taxi’s horn honking from outside. To avoid hearing it again I opened up my front door so that the driver would know that I was on the way out of the house.

I was uncertain as to how much time went by but my phone started ringing while I was riding to my destination. Once I saw the number I knew that I recognized it but there wasn’t a name linked to it. It might have been four rings into the call before I answered and what followed was a miracle, or at least I thought that it was.

“Hello! Hey! I know that it has been a while, a long while. I have so much that I want to say! Just let me start by saying, I thought that I just saw you in the back seat of a cab!” The soft voice burst into laughter.

Before she started to speak again I let her know that she did actually see me. “I am glad that the thought of me in a cab brings you joy!” After saying this I gestured for the driver to stop. I wanted to find out where she was and I wanted to see her.

She giggled, and then said, “Boy, you are still crazy! Keep going because I spotted you about ten minutes ago. I just had to pull myself together before I called you.”

“Well, I am glad that you did!” I pointed forward so that the driver would proceed. Here I was, in the moment that I had been waiting for. I wanted to play it cool but being cool was part of the reason that I lost her. One thing that I did know was that I couldn’t just sit here in silence.

“I am on my way to New York to bring in the New Year. How long do you plan on being in town?” I finished with one question but I really wanted to ask her so much more! Things that actually mattered, like did she still care? Could we finally have our chance at togetherness? Did she know how much I missed and still loved her? And could I have the chance to show her? So much to ask and say but I would try to pace my way into it all.

Before she spoke, she let out another soft laugh. When she did I pictured her beautiful face, the way her mouth would slightly open when she smiled, teasing my eyes with only a glimpse of her flawless teeth. I pictured the way her cheeks would rise up, causing her eyes to gently squint. These were the same eyes which I would look into and just lose myself, when every blink that I would take seemed like an eternity because it was too long to not see her.

“Boy, you have problems! Always going somewhere, you should try staying in the house for once. I will be in New York for a little, maybe longer, it all depends. How about this? I will be in town long enough to come by and see you, long enough for us to catch up, long enough for us to actually talk. So much has happened in my life, some good, most of it bad, but the best has yet to come………Well, I hope so. We will talk, don’t worry. Just don’t make me wait too long! And don’t be acting all crazy! STUPID! You know how you get! Bye, crazy!” She then laughed her way off the phone.

Her call put me into a complete stupor. I was so happy, so shocked, so nervous, so confused. I actually didn’t know what to feel, I didn’t know how to feel. Every corny saying I’d ever heard I could now completely relate to. Every love song about a second chance was dancing on the tip of my tongue, ready to leap out every time that I opened my mouth to speak or inhale some fresh air.

From the time that I hung up through the time that the bus pulled off I don’t remember anything. All that I could do was think of her and how I could now right my wrongs. This was the best feeling, knowing that every moment that I spent was not a moment in vain, every moment missing her, every moment thinking of her, every moment hoping for one more chance. Just knowing that my dream was finally at my grasp put my body into a peaceful trance.

What potentially could have been a long, irritating, boring, bus ride was now a relaxing escape. Knowing that I now had a reason to return home was unlike anything that I had felt over the past several years. Every pothole, sharp turn, abrupt message over the intercom, and funny smell all seemed like nothing. Feeling this good had absolutely nothing to do with where I was going but instead where I would be returning to.

“Excuse me, ummmm…………Excuse me, are you okay? I don’t mean to disturb you; it’s just that your phone keeps ringing and people are complaining to the driver. Since your eyes were wide open I was not sure if you were dead or just did not care. You just looked so at peace. I’m sorry. I’m rambling but I am glad to see that you are not dead. That would not have been the way I wanted to close out my year.” The woman gave me a small smile, then she looked away. I was certain that she turned away because of her cheeks turning a rosy red color.

“Thanks for checking on me! That was sweet.” I returned the smile once she looked at me.
“No, thank you for not being dead! By the way, she is a lucky girl. Only TRUE LOVE could put someone in a state like that.” This time she gave me a full smile. She was a beautiful woman. Since she was sitting, I was unable to tell how tall she was, but if I were to guess I would have said that she was about 5’4”. She was a brunette with rich green eyes and perfectly tanned skin. Her hair was long and curly with some parts covering her face but not completely hiding it. I was still able to see that she had freckles, which I had always thought was sexy.

When merely looking at the physical, she was perfect. But seeing as I had gotten a chance to right my wrongs with Heaven, I was not interested. “I am the lucky one! Don’t worry, I am positive that you will make one man just as lucky as she has made me!” I winked, then turned my head so that I could check the messages that I missed.

There were several messages, and the first few I listened to were not important. By the time that the bus stopped at its final destination I had just started listening to the message from Keisha. She told me to call her once I reached her train stop and she would come pick me up. To me this was not a problem because that was originally what I had planned on doing.

As I navigated through the bus terminal down to the subway, my eyes honed in on a female figure that was a distance in front of me. I seemed to be gaining on her, which I think was a result of her growing tired from hauling her bags. By the time that I reached the boarding platform for my train I was standing directly next to her.

Looking straight ahead I said, “You are either following me or this is a small world.”
I could tell by the lapse in time that she was reluctant to speak, that is, until she noticed that it was me. “Oh my! If it isn’t Lover Boy! I am following you, because I am curious to see the woman that has you so deep in LOVE.” She giggled and got onto the same train as me.

“Well, I am sorry to inform you that is not where I am going. I am going to visit an old friend for about an hour, and then I am meeting up with Jason and the rest of the guys so that we can hit the town.” I noticed that while I was talking, she sat and looked at me as if she was so interested in what I had to say. We exchanged small talk back and forth for a majority of the ride. The only breaks that were taken were due to laughter; well, that is, until my phone rang.