Picture This

Time had started to fly by, and every day that my phone rang, I had a slight hope it was him and every day that it wasn’t, my hope drained a bit more. I started thinking about him less, and focused more on my work. The day I met him became a distant memory, and I barely felt anything anymore.

Since my pictures for Entertainment Weekly, I had gotten a few more calls, and a few more jobs. I did some here in the city, some in Boston, LA and even Vancouver. Things were staying busy, and before I knew it, it was September, and it had been two months since that day in San Diego.

As work was getting busier, that meant more money and more money meant that it was time to actually get myself an actual studio and some employees. I was doing a lot more professional shoots now, and I needed those extra hands to handle the more equipment I was going to need. I wanted to get this business to a new chapter, which was exciting.

“I’m so proud of you” Amy said as I sat down at the kitchen table. I was at her and Daniel’s for dinner, and I was getting that extra sisterly support.

“Thanks” I replied, “It’s kept me busy and over this past year I’ve saved up a lot, especially after all the jobs I’ve had in the past couple of months”

“I know you’ve wanted to do this for a while” Amy said, “I’m glad you’re finally able to move forward with it”

“I saw a great space not far from the apartment, only a few blocks down the street. It’s the perfect size for my first studio. It’s been renovated, and I think you should come by and look at it with me”

Amy nodded, “I would definitely love that!” she replied. She looked over at Daniel, with a look like she was asking permission for something, he gave her a nod, a smile and then she looked back at me,
“Okay, you gave us great news, but I should tell you why we asked you here for dinner tonight”

I narrowed my eyes, “Okay”

“I went to the doctor today, after a few weeks of being suspicious, three pregnancy tests and the doctor confirmed. I’m pregnant!”

Before I could say anything, I squealed and ran around the table and wrapped her in a hug, “Amy, that’s amazing! I’m going to be an aunt! You’re going to be a mom! This is so exciting! When’s the due date?”

“They’re thinking it’s in June, still too early to tell.”

“I’m so happy for you Amy” I gave her another hug and then gave Daniel a hug as well, “Congratulations you guys, it’s so great. I’ll be here if you need anything”

“Good to know” she smiled, “But right now, I need to eat something”

The evening was full of laughs, excitement and Daniel’s famous lasagna. It was an exciting night in the family, a night we especially missed having our parents around.

Our parents passed away when I was 18, Amy was 21. It was a car accident, one that devastated our entire family. It was when both of us really began to lean on each other. They never got to see Amy get married, and they won’t get to see their first grandchild. It’s moments like these that bring us back to reality a little bit, remembering that we can’t just call them up and share the news.

“I was thinking of using either mom or dad’s name” she said.

I smiled, “Elaine Robinson or Mark Robinson. It just sounds right”

She nodded, “I have lots of time, but I want it to be just right you know?”

“They’d be proud either way you know” I said.

“I know” she replied.

“Good. Just be excited. Mom wouldn’t want you to grieve them during the excitement of having your first child”

She smirked, “You’re right”

“Okay” I said standing up, “How about I take the liberty of cleaning up”

Neither of them argued, so I cleaned up the plates and glasses and loaded the dishwasher while Daniel packed up the rest of the pan of lasagna to freeze.

“Thanks so much for dinner” I said, “But I should get back. I have some more things to look at before I decide to finalize this sale”

“Okay” Amy gave me a hug and they both walked me to the front door.

“Did you want a drive?” Daniel asked.

“No, it’s okay” I said, “It’s a nice evening, I just want to walk tonight. It’s not that long”

“Okay, well I’ll be talking to you. Let me know when you want to go and see the place” she said.

“I’ll give you a call, see you soon” I gave her one more hug and shut the door behind me. I decided to walk because I wanted to clear my head. So much has happened in such a short time, all the excitement of a new addition, and I was feeling the effects of not having that other half to share it with. No one to go home to so I can tell them about my day.

It took about half an hour to walk back into the city and it was another twenty after that to get to my apartment. I decided to take a detour and go to a part of Central Park closer to the Upper West Side of New York. It was a place I always envisioned being with a guy, having a date, or maybe even receiving a proposal. I’m a romantic. There was a garden, with huge trees, cute little benches and it was somewhat closed off. It was gorgeous in the fall, it seemed to be every color of the rainbow at this time of year.

I found a bench and stretched myself out onto it, watching as it got darker and darker. I wish I had my camera, I could already see some great shots out here. After a couple hours, I could feel the chill of fall and decided I needed to get home. I took a shortcut through the park, which cut a few minutes off my time to walk home. I turned the corner out of the park and immediately ran into someone, in which they spilled some type of beverage on me, which I quickly realized was coffee. Thankfully, it wasn’t hot.

“Shit, I am so sorry” he said. I was too busy looking down at my clothes to even look up at the guy.

“It’s really okay. Don’t worry about it. I don’t live far from here”

“Seriously, let me at least help you clean it up”

I just sighed and then looked up, and noticed very familiar blue eyes. My eyes widened and then his expression fell, “Anna?”

“Sebastian” I managed to say, my breath caught in my throat. His hair was shorter now, more suited to him and I liked it.

“This is—well this is really—actually I really don’t know what this is”

“Awkward, wet, and cold maybe?”

He took a deep breath, “Yah, I suppose”

“Nice to see you again” I said. I turned to walk away but he called after me, “Anna, at least let me help you”

I sighed, “I just need to get home and change”

“Well how do I make it up to you?”

“I don’t know” I shrugged, “Maybe call me?” there was a hint of bitterness in it and he could sense it.
“I’m sorry, it’s been really busy and I haven’t been back that long and—“

“You don’t have to explain” I replied, trying to walk away again.

He chased after me again, “Anna, can I take you for coffee?”

I wanted to, and I knew it but it was upsetting to know he had been in the city and didn’t want to call me. I just didn’t want to start liking him if he didn’t like me.

“I don’t need a pity date”

“Well I’m not going to force you to, but it seemed like you wanted to in July”

I sighed, “I did, but I also was being realistic, knowing what kind of world you lived in. Knowing that I wasn’t exactly the type you go for”

“So you know me now?” he replied. He sounded a bit irritated.

“I didn’t say that” I said, “I just put pieces together. I gave you my number, not the other way around and you didn’t call. I got the message”

“I had a girlfriend at the time” he said.

“Exactly” I replied and tried to walk away again.

“I have the spotlight on me a lot and my private life is not private, but I did like you then and I didn’t know how to say it because I was with someone else. And yes, you and I are from different worlds, but I would still like to take you out for coffee.” He sighed a bit and continued, “Her and I aren’t together anymore”

I paused. It was the longest I had heard him talk and I was starting to hear that slight accent in his voice. I let a small smile appear, “That sounded an awful lot like something from a movie”

He replied with a smile back, “So?” he asked.

I sighed, “I suppose if you’re that desperate to see me again”

He laughed, “I wish I had called you sooner”

“I guess I’m kind of glad you didn’t, because this is so much more fun”

He laughed again, like a child, his smile was so big. I didn’t want him to stop “How about I call you?”

“How about you give me your number just in case you forget again”

He shook his head and smiled pulling out his phone, “I will put a reminder, to call you tomorrow at exactly 7pm, does that suit your schedule?”

I smiled, and held in a laugh, “That’s perfect”

He put up his phone and showed it to me, “Trust me, I won’t forget this time.”

He kept his eyes on mine, and it was solid eye contact for a few moments before I looked away, I was glad it was dark enough to hide my blushing, “Okay, I’d really like to change out of these clothes” I said, looking down at the coffee stains.

He nodded, “Yah sure, sorry.”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow then?”

“I promise, I will”

“Nice seeing you again Sebastian”

He smiled, “You too”

We left in separate directions and I was barely able to process anything about what just happened. It was surreal, it had to be a dream. What are the odds that I just ran into this guy in the city of New York? I didn’t like to think of fate, but it had to mean something. I was nervous this time, not having any way to contact him and just letting him go, but this time he actually promised he would. He made an effort to keep my attention, to get me to have coffee with him. I’m going to trust him. At this point, I have no other choice.