Promises to Keep

"But that's good, you had fun with him? Katie asked Tayla, as they grabbed brunch the next morning. Jamie and Tyler were both currently at their skate, Tyler having left a little after 9 in the morning to go home and grab what he needed before heading to the rink.

"Yeah, we just sat and talked like old times until like, four in the morning" Tayla admitted with a yawn. "It was nice..." she trailed off softly.

"I sense a but here?" Katie asked, sensing some skepticism.

"I don't know" Tayla sighed, exasperated. "I don't seem to know much, do I?" she then asked, trying to laugh at herself and her lack of decisiveness.

"Don't say that" Katie shook her head. "It's a hard decision- I get it. Your world was turned upside down a few months ago- it's only natural you would want to think through everything before coming to a decision, you know?" she added. "But, I mean, you did move back here..." she trailed off, always wanting to ask her.

"I know" she replied, taking a sip of her chocolate milkshake. "I know I still love him. That's all I know" she told her with a frown.

"You'll figure it out Tay, I know you will" Katie assured her.

"Will I though?" Tayla asked, a mostly rhetorical question. "In the three months since it happened, I don't think I'm any closer to making a decision than I was when I walked away from him" she confessed how she truly felt.

"I don't think that's true" Katie stated. "You're here. You've moved back. You're on speaking terms with him." she pointed out.

"All true," Tayla began "but I still can't bring myself to forgive him. How long am I suppose to make him wait? Better question, how long will he wait?" Tayla asked, not really having considered that part before.

"What do you mean?" Katie asked, genuinely confused.

"He's not going to want to wait around forever for me to make a decision. I'm sure he wants to get back out there, start dating again-"

"Oh no. No, no, no" Katie shook her head in disbelief. "He doesn't want to date anyone, because he wants to date you. You and only you" Katie informed her harshly. "He hasn't even so much as looked at another girl since you left"

"Really?" Tayla asked, genuinely surprised. "No hook ups or anything?" Katie shook her head no.

"Like I said, he hasn't even so much as looked at another girl" Katie repeated with a smile. "You're it for him, Tay. And I truly believe he will literally give you all the time in the world to make up your mind on this"

"I don't know..." Tayla trailed off, still having her doubts.

"He still texts you every morning and evening, right?" Katie asked, and Tayla nodded.

"He even texted me last night before we went to bed, to keep up with the tradition" she admitted, blushing a little.

"See! Point and case" Katie exclaimed with a smile. "You can take all the time you need, he'll be here regardless of how time it is"

"I guess so..." Tayla trailed off, and Katie rolled her eyes.

"Eat up and let's get to the gym already" she laughed, and Tayla shrugged.

"Ugh. Fine" she complained with a smirk.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted me to keep you motivated!" Katie reminded her with a grin.

"Still doesn't mean I want to do it" Tayla reminded her with a smile. The pair both laughed, eating their brunch, the topic of their conversation weighing on both of their minds. There was nothing more Katie wanted than to see both Tayla and Tyler truly happy again. And she was convinced, as was Jamie, that the only way they would be, is if they were together. But if Tayla was too blind to see it? Or maybe, perhaps, forgiving someone for what Tyler did would be impossible.

She had to admit, she wasn't sure what she would do if she were in Tayla's shoes. Do you forgive someone for something like this? It had to be something that you wouldn't be able to answer unless it happened to you; but, despite it happening to Tayla she couldn't even decide.

With a frown, Katie finished off her meal, wondering if the two would ever reconcile.

************************

"So. You spent the night at her place?" Jamie asked, and Tyler nodded excitedly. The pair were lacing up their skates, getting ready for practice. Tyler felt good this morning, and not only because they managed to win their season opener. "That's great! How'd it go?" Jamie asked curiously.

"She was shaken up a bit, but once we got to her place and settled she seemed to be doing a lot better" Tyler told him softly. "We talked until like, four this morning. It was really nice; just like old times" he smiled, remembering all the laughs they shared last night. It was as if the past three months hadn't happened.

"Is she any closer to making a decision...?" Jamie asked, though he wasn't sure if he should even ask; it was sometimes a touchy subject.

"I don't think so" Tyler frowned, and sighed, finishing tying his right skate lace. "I'm not sure if she ever will forgive me though" he confessed, coming to the realization he may never have her back in his life.

"Why do you say that?" Jamie asked, genuinely confused.

"I don't know. I mean, it's been three months and it doesn't seem like she's interested in forgiving me" Tyler shrugged.

"Dude, I no disrespect- but you're wrong and dumb" Jamie told him with a laugh.

"Uh- thank you?" Tyler scoffed, a little offended.

"I just mean I don't think you're seeing clearly on this" Jamie tried to correct. "She still loves you.
She reads all your texts, re-reads them all the damn time, she let you come over last night, you stayed up late talking..." he trailed off. "That kind of seems like the type of behaviour that would lead to being forgiven"

"Maybe" Tyler pondered on that thought for a moment. Was Jamie right? Was she leaning towards forgiving him? "Only time will tell I guess" he finally said, getting up, fully dressed and ready for practice. Their next game was at home in two days, and they hoped to continue to start the season off right with two wins. The Washington Capitals would be in town, and they hoped to start their road trip off winless.