REUNION Part 2/2
I wasn't prepared to see Moe with fuzz clinging to his chin. He had a crown of dreads on his forehead, and linked to his right hand was a girl with beads in her hair and a pink jacket.
Moe beamed once he spotted me. “Hey!”
The girl I assumed was Canela had a similar smile when she saw Spud. “Puppy!” She wobbled over to him and began rubbing his fluff of fur.
I slid aside and he sat by me, and we smiled. “You look amazing, Tiesha. Not that you didn't before, but you look… matured.”
“Thanks. You too Moe.” We smiled.
Canela tried lifting but ended up dragging Spud close to the sandbox where he could watch her make sand sculptures.
“Canela really likes dogs, sorry,” he apologized.
“It's fine.” I waved at her. “Hi, Canela!”
She stared at me quietly. She had the same caramel-colored skin Moe had, and thick eyebrows like him too. They looked nearly the same, only her eyes were lighter than his.
I swatted Moe's arm. “I didn't know you had a twin!”
“Oh my god, everybody says that!” Moe shook his head and chuckled.
“So…where's your wife?”
He sat up. “My wife!?”
“Yeah! Canela's Mom?” I leaned my neck out. Who else would I be talking about?”
Moe squinted at me. “Canela's not my daughter, she's my sister's daughter!”
I gaspsed. “Oooooooh!”
“You thought I found somebody, got married and had a kid in four years?”
I laughed. “Yes, sorry, It's just she looks so much like you and when I heard her on the phone…”
“I have to babysit her because my sister's got two jobs and she couldn't find anyone for today.” He shook his head. “But anyway, where is this Spud dude? I wanna meet the lucky guy who stole your heart.”
That's when I started laughing. “Oh, goodness, Moe, Spud's not a person, he's my dog!”
His eyes widened. “Really!?”
I pointed over to the sandbox. “Yeah, he's right there. Spud! Get over here!”
Spud lifted his head and romped over with Canela trailing behind.
“Oh,” Moe chuckled and leaned down to pet Spud’s head. “I thought you had a new boyfriend and moved on without me. After all, I’ve been so busy these last few years, and when I finally had time to call you, I chickened out, since I thought you probably had forgotten about me by now.
I wondered why he hadn't erased my number already. Probably for the same reason I hadn't erased his.
I could never forget you Moe,” I smiled at him.
We stared at each other for a moment before a tiny hand waved in between us.
“hullo, are you stull there?” said Canela.
“Yea. How about you make another sand castle or play on the slide, I’m talking to Tiesha,” Moe waved her away.
“It’s fine,” I grabbed my purse. I heard the loud hum of the bus. How did forty-one minutes fly by so fast? “I’m about to leave the park anyway. But we should hang out sometime,” I relieved Spud’s leash from Canela.
“Yeah, like what about tomorrow? We could stop by this new burrito spot I know you’ll like Moe got up with me. “Just the two of us, since Canela will be back with my sister by then,”
The bus skirted to a halt by the sign. “Sounds great, bye!” I quickly rushed over to the bus, heaving Spud into my arms when he couldn't keep up.
We didn't straighten out the details for our meet up tomorrow, but I could always call or text him. As soon as I found a seat I looked out one last time at Moe, to see how tall he’d gotten. How much he’d changed.
He was staring right back at me. At least one thing hadn’t changed. We were still friends.
My latest novel, Shook, is being published to Hive in parts! See all released chapters in this post.
Hey there! I’m Shila! I’ve loved books since I could read, and decided I would write books I wanted to see written for others! Check my children’s book Imagination on Amazon!
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