Ketchup Popsicle 21

Sandra walked into Starbucks with a flourish feeling like she would finally get the reunion she dreamed of with Bobby. But she knew that the third time would not be a charm when she saw Bobby slumped in a leather chair in the corner staring at his shoes. He didn’t stand up when she approached him so she took a seat in the chair beside him, sinking into the warn-out cushion.
"Sandy, I just don’t understand why you never tried to find me. I mean I’m sorry that I took so long to look for you, but when your dad said you were dead, well, that ended my search." He continued to stare at his shoes. "But you could have found me anytime."
"I’m sorry Bobby," Sandra said putting her hand on his where it was resting on the arm of the chair. "I…I guess I was afraid."

Bobby looked into her eyes and winced, moving his hand away from hers. "I’m married now." He said in a defeated tone. "Jennifer flipped out when she heard you were back." He smiled apologetically. "I mean she is really jealous of you."
"Why? She doesn’t even know me." Sandra said defensively.
"Oh yes she does. I told her about you a long time ago. When she asked me about my first love."
Sandra’s heart bumped against her chest, "I was your first love?"
"Wasn’t I yours?" He asked a bemused smile playing on the corners of his lips.
"Of course you were." She said blushing slightly and this time Bobby placed his hand on hers. "There’s a lot of history between us isn’t there?" she said looking into his eyes.
Bobby moved closer so that there was only two chair arms between them. "Yes, and if you would have walked in that door two years ago, a future too." He frowned and the wrinkle returned to his brow. She touched it with her fingertips trying to smooth it away in a very motherly fashion.

"Two years ago - I had just found out that I was pregnant then," she whispered.
"What?" Bobby asked clearly taken aback.
"Pregnant. I have a two year old son. His name is Daniel."
"My father didn’t tell me you were married." Bobby was physically recoiling in his seat at the news.
"That’s because I’m not. I live with my boyfriend." The word boyfriend caught in her throat the way it always did since she didn’t know how to label or define her relationship with Mike anymore.

Bobby didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Long enough to make Sandra feel uncomfortable and begin to strain her hands looking into his face for a sign of what he might be thinking. But he just sat there looking stunned, if handsomely so, until finally he breathing out a whoosh of air relaxing his body. "And the plot thickens I guess," Bobby finally said. "I can’t believe you have a son. What’s he like?"
"Oh, he’s amazing. He’s a happy little guy. He looks just like me actually." Sandra beamed.
"Then he must be adorable." Bobby said. "I love kids, I loved being one anyway. I think I would love kids, I haven’t really been around many." Bobby seemed slightly uncomfortable with the topic grasping to find the right thing to say.

"Uh-huh," Sandra said, slightly confused herself, "Jennifer told me you two were going to start a family when you get back from your vacation."
Bobby froze again, "She said what?" His face turned red and became distorted. "We never discussed that." His eyes seemed to darken.
"Well, somebody’s been making plans." Sandra said, knowing that Jennifer seemed like the type who would get herself pregnant on purpose to keep her man. "Sorry. I didn’t mean to stir the pot. It’s none of my business."
Bobby sighed and rubbed his forehead where Sandra had touched it a few moments before.

"So," he said.
"So," she said.
"Now what?" Bobby asked with an innocence that brought Sandra back that day behind the park when they had kissed for their first time.
"I don’ t know Bobby. I guess now we’re friends again." It was her turn to sigh. "I’ve really missed you."
Bobby took her hand in his, lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of it. "I’ve missed you too, I’ve probably thought about you every day since I moved away. I’ve changed though Sandy. I’m not the nice guy I used to be, ask anyone, ask my dad. When I found out you were - gone - it changed me. I stopped caring about anything and I threw myself into the business. I have a reputation for being a real bastard actually."

"Well I believe it by the way you treated me earlier." Sandra teased.
"So you can’t go around calling me Bobby, it’s going to ruin my reputation. OK?" Bobby was serious but smiling amicably at her.
"OK Bobby, I’ll save it for when we’re alone." She agreed. "But I guess that won’t happen very often will it?"
"Yeah, I guess not." He said.
Bobby walked her to the subway station that would bring her to the train that would in turn bring her back to Mike and Daniel and Marta and her life. Their arms brushed as they walked slowly together on the sidewalk, trying to make their time alone together last. Bobby paid the fair for them both to enter the train station and stood on the platform waving goodbye. As the train pulled her away she watched at her eyes allowed Bobby to transform back and forth from the tall handsome man to the awkward little boy she loved so dearly.