Late for Love

His dark, heavy blue eyes stood in front of Adele.

“Brent,” She whispered, not to him, but herself.

“Hi, Domini.” He started, his words were icy and empty, but also like a rotting rope, it dropped Adele down to the bitting snow.

She tottering stood up. “Hi. Long time don’t see.”

“Yeh, for long.” He nodded.

How long was it? - A question appeared in her uncertain brown eyes.

“4 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 5 days.” He answered.

Their faces burned and turned red.

“So, how are you?” She asked.

“Absolute, I just got back from England, for holiday.”

“Yeah.” Adele responded, “This conversation is stupid.” She worried.

“So, how are you?” Brent continued.

“Great,” She tried to smile.

---

Adele stepped over and rang the bell.

A blond gentlewoman opened the door.

“Ade, my brief candle.”

“Aunt Jennifer.” She hugged her. “Pleasant Christmas Eve.”

“Haha. Joyous Christmas Eve, you too.”

They went inside the small house.

“Where is Uncle James?” Adele asked.

“He’ll be home any minutes.” Aunt continued. “How are things?”

“Great, I mean, except finished night.”

Aunt Jennifer turned around and looked at her. “Ok, is it why you here?”

Adele nodded.

“Sit down,” Aunt said, and pointed to the sofa. “Tell me about it.”

“I met Brent last night, we had a conversation, and it was stupid, it was so awkward,... since the day he...”

“Slow down, Ade. Tell me from the beginning.”

“Like a carving moment in my head, I can barely forget that Christmas.

I got up in the morning with a freezing winter breath. Things were pretty perfect. Then, I moved downstairs, Dad was there, as usual, with a white T-shirt and breakfast. His smile suddenly reminds me of his age and his sacrifice for me.

“Merry Christmas, Dad,” I told him.

“I wish you a merrier Christmas, Ade.” He said and took out a small cage. There was a small, lovely bluebird in it."

“Thanks, Dad. I love it.”

“Don’t thank me,” He smiled. “It’s from Brent.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, he asked me to give it to you, he’s on his way to Orange.”

Orange was his cousin - Julia’s hometown. He went to visit her.

Actually, I was very surprised at first, Bren rarely visits his relatives, but soon, I forgot it.

...

After that, I stopped at Peter’s shop. I stepped inside and said:

“One Winter Coffee, please.”

“Ok... Hey! Ade!” He giggled. “Merry Christmas.”

“Enjoyable Christmas, bro. You not coming to Orange with Bren?”

“No,” He smiled. “I have a shop to take care of.”

“Right.” I nodded.

“So, how are you two doing? Has he proposed to you?”

I laughed. “We’re just friends.”

“Ade,” Peter’s green eyes stared at me. “I’m serious.”

“So do I,” I replied. “We’re friends.”

“So that means no.”

“Yes, because there’s nothing happened between the two of us.”

Peter frowned. I have never seen him looked stabbing like that.

“Really,” I said.

Peter sighed.

“What?”

“So you actually don’t notice?”

“Notice what?”

“Ade! It’s been 13 years. You’ve known him since 5, right?”

“Four.”

“Oh my god, for the past 14 years? How can you not recognize that Brent has...” Peter soon calmed down.

“Peter! What’s wrong with ya?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

...

I got home right after that and looked at the bluebird; I have no idea what to do with it, so I look it up on the Internet. Later, I found some videos on my computer. I watched them, but I remembered the one when I first see two little children, one with dark curly hair and deep blue eyes, one with straight long blonde hair and pace skin.

They played hide-and-seek and chasing on the field on a summer afternoon. Later they laid down. The blonde girl sang:

“Unbelievable sights

Indescribable feeling

Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling

Through an endless diamond sky”

“Hey, that’s from Aladdin.” Little Brent said to me. “You have a beautiful voice, Ade.”

“Thanks, but I don’t want to be a singer.”

“Why?”

“Because I might lose my voice.”

“You can learn.”

“Really?” My tiny face lighted up.

“Yes.”

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I asked.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ade. You acting like adults.”

“Sorry.” I smiled.

“It’s ok.” He smiled.

...

The doorbell rang, I opened the door.

A tall, skinny guy stood there.

“Brent,” I said. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Ade.” He smiled.

“How was Orange?”

“Great. Did you get the gift? Do you like it?

“Yes.”

---

We sat in the corner. I peered at him and remembered Peter’s words. I respected it. I did, and Bren’s a kind man to trust, to count on, but he’s too realistic, he’s not a handsome prince, just a real teenager.

He asked:

“You... ok?”

“Huh? Oh, oh,... I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

“Uh,” I stuttered. “I don’t know.”

“Yeah, me too, sometimes.”

“Like what?”

He stared at me for a second.

“Why I love you.”

I froze.

He cradled my hands. I broke the moment.

“Bren... Bren... I’m sorry.... but I can’t... I’m sorry.”

Then I left.”

...

Peter looked at me worriedly.

“I’m fine,” I responded.

He shook his head and sighed. Later, his phone rang, he answered it: “Oh...? What?... No... Okay... Okay... Good luck then.”

Thus he turned around and told:

“Brent’s leaving. He’s want to meet you.”

...

Adele cried.

Aunt Jennifer kissed her head.

“Did you come?”

No reply.

“After that, you found out you love him, right?”

Adele nodded.

---

Adele’s hair flew with the winter’s wind. She stood in the front of a bridge, watched the city color reflection. Her breath dance in the cold air. She watched the blazing sky laying on the river. Then, she acknowledged a handsome face with dark gentle blue eyes and black hair.

Heartbeat fast, face turned red, she glimpsed behind her back.

“Brent.” She beamed. “Nice to see you.”

“Me, too.”

Silence covered them.

“Brent, I’m apologetic.”

“Me too.”

“Friends?” He asked.

She peeked at him. Nothing like what it used to be. Adele smiled bitterly:

“Friends.”