I was stunned when I saw Brenda walk into the room, the last time I had seen her face was probably 12 years ago. We had grown up together, our Mother's were best friends from grade school on. We were born just a few weeks part and actually believed we were Brother and Sister until we were sent off to Kindergarten.
My heart still grieves when I remember that fateful evening when we were brought together at her parent's house and told that things were going to change. Brenda's father had taken a job a thousand miles away. It was to be a great advancement for him and both our parent's were congratulating him on securing such a wonderful opportunity.
We were young; too young to understand what this all meant at that moment. The idea of not seeing each other again just seemed impossible. Even the timeline made no sense to two young souls still discovering themselves. A month to pack was like a lifetime to us.
When school was out that coming summer we had planned to attend drivers education together. That was a given, we did everything together. Even our parents understood we were a team! When we were old enough in our parent's minds, we walked home from school unattended and would go to Brenda's house and kept ourselves busy until the parents got out of work. No more babysitters for us!
We cherished our time together and were very casual about it in the process. We would grab a sandwich from the fridge and move on to Brenda's room to chat or do school work. Brenda would usually just change in front of me even as we got older. It was just like seeing her in a bikini.
When we entered her room she would close the door, I would jump on the bed and she would throw off her top and jeans in a moment and slide on her favorite "home" uniform of shorts and tee top. Most of the time she would be chatting away about the daily activities of school while she did this. Everything we did just seemed so natural.
Time marched on and then suddenly it hit us. It was a less than a week before the family was to leave, to leave forever! That day after school we walked home and not a word was spoken. I remember the feel of Brenda's hand as she grabbed mine just past the gate at school. We walked right by the fridge and entered her room hand in hand.
I crashed on the bed already about in tears. Brenda slid her top off and then just stared at me in a way I never knew possible. We were both speechless when she unzipped her jeans like she had done a hundred times before. But this time she let her hands caress her skin as the jeans now exposed her beautiful thighs. We were young and had no idea what we were thinking. But we both were thinking the same thing.
That afternoon will always be apart of my life. No other memories will ever overshadow what I felt that day. My heart has never been able to belong to anyone else.
A few days later the moving van came and in short order it was fully loaded. As sad as the two of us were, Brenda's parents were even more excited about their new adventure. To this day I don't think they ever gave Brenda and me a thought. Our hearts were shattered.
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Now, 12 years later I found a glimmer of hope returning to my heart. Brenda now 27 years old is more beautiful than I ever imagined a woman could be. Her long brown hair was silky in nature with just the right amount of curl, or maybe better stated, twist to it. Her large green eyes were accentuated perfectly by make-up that only a seasoned pro would know how to do.
The evening dress she had selected for this business function was conservative yet more than appealing. She was only 5'3" at best but her heals pushed up to 5'6" at least which displayed the most toned calves I have ever seen. Her fingers nails were perfect; everything about Brenda made her stand out far above from the crowd of over 250 people. I was simply spellbound.
While I am very shy by nature, I am very bold in business settings. Thank god this moment happened when I had all my confidence in order. I ended my conversation with the President of our Company and walked straight over to Brenda. I thought she was going to faint when she turned and saw me standing right behind her as I arrived at her collection of well intended suitors.
We embraced each other immediately. It must have been quite an embrace when we later noted the entire room looking our way. Needless to say I now had my date for the evening and not a soul was going to change that. I didn't even let that tiny little diamond ring on her left hand interfere with any of my intensions that night.
As the social hour started to come to a close, Brenda grabbed my hand just like the last time when we left school together. We wandered off to the first available table of 12 and I sat her down next to me. We both were in a state of shock for that first several minutes. But we still lead the table conversation by telling everyone our story, well not all of the details!
Brenda knew most of the others at this table, and she made a point to introduce me to everyone. I could feel a sort of tension developing as Brenda and I shared our childhood story. They knew she was engaged. Brenda had been engaged for three years, I was the only one who did not know this until we met that evening.
The table seemed to get over it as dinner progressed. But the glow that existed between Brenda and me was undeniable. We were so excited to see each other we were not giving the others much thought at all. Maybe we were just a little playful after the second glass of wine. I probably should not have let my right hand slide under the tablecloth and on to her thigh.
Brenda smiled and sipped her wine when she felt my touch. I still wonder if the mastery of my hidden move was more obvious to those around us than either Brenda or I cared to acknowledge! That really did not matter to us anyway; Brenda made it apparent it was a welcome feeling.
By the time dessert was ordered, we had already made plans to move over to the Resort Bar afterwards. It was a beautiful setting for this chance encounter to happen. I was living in Los Angeles while Brenda was living in Virginia Beach, and this conference was in Orlando. Who would have ever guessed we would end up meeting again, and at a place like this!
The Resort was 5-Star. I was considered a VIP so I had an incredible Suite overlooking the Golf Course and Pool area. Brenda had a lovely little room, in her owns words, but not quite up to my standards. I loved her laugh as she made that comment! If you could have written a fantasy about the two of us ever meeting again, this would have been the place.
As the evening festivities came to a close we walked together to the poolside Resort Bar. It was quieter being outside and most of the other guests either retired for the evening or had other plans. Brenda made sure she intertwined her delicate fingers around mine as we proceeded. Once there I found a proper table and made my best impression by seating Brenda at the chair with the best view of everything.
When our server showed up I already had Brenda's order prepared in my mind and I simply ordered her favorite glass of wine.
"So Steven, how did you know exactly what I wanted?" Brenda inquired.
"You tipped your hand during Dinner my love." Was my response. "I paid great attention to your every word."
"I would say you did, but then as I remember you would lay on my bed and listened to me for hours when we were younger." Was her retort.
That evening was magical. We caught up on most everything that had happened to each of us over the past 12 years. But there was this really big pink elephant that went unmentioned appearing on her left hand. I could not help but notice it since I had ahold of her left hand most of the evening and Brenda made no effort to conceal it either.
"I must ask you my dear, tell me more or at least something about the ring on the hand I am holding." Was how I finally broached the subject.
