One Last Time

Chapter 2

Abe

"Sir? Is there something I could help you with?"

The voice broke me out of my staring, and I turned to see the woman that had approached me. She was dressed in a simple brown and cream skirt suit with the store's logo on her coat's breast pocket. She was looking at me with a professional smile, and I assumed she was an attendant at the store.

"Um..." I murmured.

Why did I come here?

I came to the store with an objective. Not one I particularly enjoyed, but this was the last thing I expected to see. My eyes slid back over to Brooklyn, and I could feel my throat go dry and my heart squeeze tight.

She still looks so beautiful...but she's dressed this way for someone else, isn't she?

I flattened my lips and turned to look at the attendant. "I came to book an appointment, would that be possible?"

"Of course, sir. Please, let me - "

"You're already busy here," I interrupted, nearly turning around to look at Brooklyn again. "You appear to be busy, if I could find someone else to attend to me..."

"Let me call someone," she said immediately, then turned to walk off.

Without the distraction in the way, I could only turn back to Brooklyn. She'd stepped off the platform, and standing beside her, to my surprise, was Nora. The two of them had been best friends throughout college, and it seemed like that hadn't changed. If Nora was by her side and she was in New York, then it really must be true.

Brooklyn was getting married.

"Abe," Nora said, her tone and expression cold, tilting her chin up at me.

I smiled blankly and said, "Nora."

"What are you doing here, huh?" she sneered, looking me up and down in derision. "You didn't answer the question. Are you also getting married?"

I pursed my lips, for a moment, tempted to say that I was just to see if she would lose the haughty look on her face.

Nora and I hadn't exactly been close. I actually met her before I even met Brooklyn when we were all in college. She dated a close friend of mine, but they didn't last long, and after they broke up, I got to meet Brooklyn. We weren't close at first, because all she could see was the friend of the bastard that broke her friend's heart, but Nora moved on and things between Brooklyn and I went smoother. Nora never liked me since then, though.

I decided to just tell the truth.

"I'm actually here to set up an appointment for my sister," I explained, my expression darkening as my mood turned gloomy. "She's absolutely insistent on getting married, and absolutely insistent on getting this store, only she doesn't have the time to come herself."

"And you do, Mr. CEO?" Nora retorted.

I sighed. "Well, I am the boss, so I can find free time when it suits me."

Though usually I was busy, this was my sister. She tended to be extreme when she wanted things, and I was starting to think lately that maybe I indulged her too much.

"Isn't she a little young to be getting married?" Brooklyn exclaimed.

I turned to look at her and noticed her stunned expression. I had been avoiding looking at her directly because I knew once I saw her face I wouldn't want to look away. Her clear blue eyes were locked on mine, and I couldn't help getting lost in them.

"Um..." I murmured, dazed. "Maria...is insistent on getting married, to the point that even our parents agree. She's too young, but she won't listen to anyone including me."

I still couldn't believe my little sister could do something so stupid. She'd only recently turned twenty-one, and she'd even paused school for the time being to get married. Whether or not she would continue after marriage, I had my doubts. All she ever did was complain about school and how she would find a husband to look after her. It wasn't like I would let her go to the streets if she wasn't working, the family company was doing way better than that.

My parents didn't agree with it, either, but Maria wasn't the kind of person to let others force her to do what she didn't want. I knew, their biggest fear was of Maria doing something stupid and getting herself hurt. Even if I thought it was spoiling her, there wasn't much choice.

I'm not happy about her marrying so young. Brooklyn and I had at least graduated college while we were still dating and talking about our future, and even then, we'd still been young.

Too damn young.

I was a year older than Brooklyn, so I graduated ahead of her. I was twenty-two, and she'd been twenty-one, and because of our youth we thought we could face the world together, but we were both too naïve. I didn't want my sister to end up in the situation that I did where she had no other option but to get hurt.

"So you're really just going to let it happen?" Nora said with a snort.

I shrugged helplessly, knowing nothing I said would make her look at me in a positive light, probably.

"It is her life, so it's not like I can stop her. She's absolutely sure she knows what she's doing, or so she says. So, I wanted to show her some support, as her brother.

I don't want it to break my family apart. My office is near here and she's been trying to get ahold of the store to make her appointment, but their lines always seem to be busy."

"I am so sorry about that, sir."

A new voice entered the conversation, and I turned to see the first attendant had come with someone.

"Sorry about what?" I asked, turning to the two women. "It's only an unfortunate coincidence, isn't it?"

The second attendant let out a light cough, her expression looking awkward.

"My name is Isabell, if you could please come with me, I'll explain everything and we can deal with your appointment." Then, she turned to Nora and Brooklyn. "Ladies, sorry to disturb you. Clara here will continue to help you."

I walked away with Isabell, turning once to see Clara leading Nora and Brooklyn away, probably to change into another wedding dress. I forced myself to look away, my feet feeling heavier the further from her I moved. Thankfully, we didn't go so far that they would be out of sight if they came back out again. It would only be hurting myself to see, but I couldn't help that either.

Six years ago, I had genuinely loved Brooklyn. Six years later, and that hadn't changed.

"So, Isabell," I started. "Can you explain to me what the problem is?"

The awkward expression on her face told me the situation wasn't normal. I'd thought the same, and just figured Maria said it as an excuse so I could do this for her. She claimed not to have the time to do it herself, but I knew she was out with her boyfriend doing who knew what, so she talked me into doing this for her.

It turned out, there was actually a problem with the store.

"The issue about the cell lines, they're not busy."

I frowned. "Then what exactly is the situation? Because my sister complained she's been trying to make a call for an appointment for a few weeks."

She ducked her head. There was a tablet held in her hands, and her hands tightened on the device.

"On this issue, I am very sorry. The issue is actually with our cell lines, they're currently not working. We're still in the process of getting them fixed, and we only realized the problem when walk in clients walked in and let us know this week. We hope this inconvenience won't make you change your mind about working with us."

I put my hands in my pocket, only mildly interested in this whole thing.

"The issue wasn't your fault. And my sister is set on working with you, so it's not a problem. But please, have them fixed or give me a number that does work in case my sister needs something."

"I'll handle that right away," Isabell said, raising her head and lifting thee tablet up. "As for the appointment, I can handle that now. Can you let me know whatever time your sister would find it appropriate?"

I wasn't really sure myself, so I took out my cell and texted Maria. We communicated like that, with Isabell asking for details and me getting Maria to give me the information. Brooklyn went through three other dresses by the time we were done.

"Please thank your sister for choosing to work with us, and we look forward to seeing her."

With a nod of her head, she walked off.

Now that I was free, I could pay my full attention to Brooklyn and Nora. They must have finished trying on dresses, because they were just standing around talking to the assistant. Technically, my job here was done, but I didn't think I could just leave. Even if there might not be hope for us after all these years, I was incapable of giving up without a fight.

I hesitated until the attendant left them, then I approach.

"Are you ladies ready to leave?"

Nora sneered, but Brooklyn caught her arm and she settled down, stepping back with a pout. Brooklyn looked up at me with a calm smile.

"Did you sort out all your problems, already?"

"I managed to work something out," I murmured. "Brooklyn...you seem like you've been doing well."

At some point, I'd even hoped that she was unable to forget like I was. Only, thinking that way was unfair, wasn't it? If I couldn't be with her, then she deserved to be happy with someone that would treat her right. That was the attitude I was supposed to have, anyway. I just didn't like the idea at all.

She smiled mysteriously. "I have."

I frowned slightly, wishing she would elaborate more. What do you mean by that smile, and what do you mean by 'you have?'

She wasn't even going to ask how I'd been the past six years. Even knowing I didn't exactly deserve it, since I had been the one to end things between us back then, but I couldn't help feeling a thread of disappointment.

"Can I ask if the two of you are busy right now?"

Brooklyn looked at Nora. Her expression was complicated, but I could see the contempt she felt for me and the care she felt for Brooklyn. I stiffened, wondering if she would get in my way and what I would I would do if she did. If Nora was around, Brooklyn and I talking for more than a few minutes wouldn't be a simple thing.

In the end, though, she sighed and looked at Brooklyn with eyes full of apology.

"I actually have to get home now. Paul was supposed to call me today, and I don't think it's going to be a quick conversation. He's out somewhere on a business trip and I won't be able to see him for a while."

Brooklyn didn't look happy, and I wondered if Nora had another lying, cheating boyfriend.

"It's fine," Brooklyn said.

"Actually," I cut in. "I was wondering if you would go out with me for drinks?"

She arched an eyebrow at me. "What, for old times' sake?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Why not?"

They shared a glance, then Nora sighed and picked up her purse.

"Do whatever you want, I need to go. I'll come get you later, there's still a lot of stuff left to do before the wedding."

My lips flattened at the mention of a wedding, and Nora threw me a challenging look as she walked away. I was sure she'd done it deliberately, and I wondered how close it was to this wedding. My thoughts started going down a dangerous direction, but I cut them off. If Brooklyn knew what I was thinking, she would probably look at me with the same disgust as Nora was.

Besides, if she found someone she agreed to marry, could I even change her mind? I hurt her...

My heart ached, but I realized I brought this on myself, like shooting my own foot. During our relationship and when I chose to end it, I had been too young to be making such life changing decisions.

Brooklyn's voice broke me out of my thoughts. "I want to head back and rest before Nora starts driving me crazy again, so why don't we exchange numbers and we can meet some other day?"

I was already pulling my cell out, and I unlocked the screen and pulled up a new contact page, then handed it to her. She looked startled, but handed her own cell over then took mine. First, I searched through her contacts, frowning when I realized she really had deleted my number. I didn't still have hers in my cell, I had hoped getting rid of everything that reminded me of her would help me forget, but I still had it memorized. I input my contact into her cell, then handed it over. When I got my cell, I looked at her name and number in my contact list, and felt a little short of breath.

"Friday," I said suddenly, looking at her. "It's Tuesday today, but can we meet this Friday?"

"Sure," she said with a shrug and a smile. "Give me a call and I'll let you know when I'll be free. Laters, Abe."

I watched Brooklyn turn her back to me and walk away without hesitation. I raised a hand to hold her back, mouth open to call her name. But I hesitated for a moment, and she was gone.

Just like six years ago.