He’d been looking for her? They stared at each other for a long moment.

“You didn’t come to work today, so I was worried,” Aaron said.

“Yea…I had some things…” Selina said never finishing what she was going to say.

They were silent, both wondering what to say next and how to keep the conversation going.

“Why were you looking for me?” they both ended up asking at the same time.

“You go first,” Selina told.

“I suddenly forgot.” he said.

“Lets go somewhere quiet,” Selina suggested forgetting how frantic she had been while searching for him.

Selina found herself leading him to an empty playground, a small one with a couple of swings and a slide. Selina sat on the swing and Aaron in the other one. They were silent at first, Selina wondering why she’d led him to a park, and Aaron curious about what she wanted to say.

“I’m sorry,” Selina apologized.

Aaron turned to look at her in surprise. Why would she suddenly want to apologize?

“Why?” Aaron asked.

“I…” Selina felt herself hesitate about telling him that she knew…everything about him now. “I just am.”

Aaron frowned turning away then turned back to her, “I don’t understand.”

Selina pushed herself to say, “I…when I came back and saw you I was afraid, so I eventually brushed you off my shoulder. I…”

“You’re just sorry for that?” asked Aaron.

Selina bit her tongue. What in the world was she doing? For sure she felt she was ready to talk to him about the divorce and his missing children…but she wasn’t even talking about that! Aaron got up from the swing and stood in front of her.

“I know. I understand so I don’t blame you. You don’t have to apologize for such a thing,” Aaron pointed out, “I don’t want to hear you apologizing to me.”

Selina was struck speechless for some reason. Why wouldn’t the words come out of ?  

“Don’t look so dumbfounded,” Aaron said. “How long have I known you? If I were you I would have felt the same way…actually I should be the one who’s most sorry. I hurt you and never explained anything to you. I ran off like an idiot and couldn’t turn around even once.”

Selina was able to understand how he felt and hearing the words from him was better than telling herself those words. But that wasn’t the point right now.

“You never planned on telling me.” Selina said stopping him. “What you’re saying is not what I want to know right now.”

 Then what was the matter? Yet, Aaron was unable to bring anymore words out of his mouth.

“I’m sorry, not because I ignored you, but because of not realizing what you were going through,” Selina told, “I didn’t see what I should’ve seen.”

Selina was talking in circles and Aaron wasn’t able to quite understand what was on her mind. He watched her blank expression…she wasn’t looking anywhere else, but at him. Did she know something he didn’t?

“You should’ve said something,” Selina told. “What happened the past year…you should have said something to me.”

Aaron felt his eyeballs become larger realizing what she was talking about now. The divorce and his children flashed into his mind.

“I would have known then…how to act toward you,” Selina finished, “how to be friends with you…how to talk to you again. I wouldn’t feel so regretful as I am right now.”

Aaron just stared at her.

“You should have just said something. Why couldn’t you tell me? Why did you keep it from  me? I was feeling so angry at myself with the way things were, but now that I know, I feel so much regret. I can feel your pain and it makes it worse. We aren’t strangers anymore so we don’t need to hide from each other.”

It was easy for her to say, but it was only because she knew. After avoiding him she suddenly was sympathizing with him. Her character had taken a turn and instead of making him long for her, he was feeling confused with the way she was feeling. But was it really her fault alone? Maybe he could have said something…but it had never come to him.

“I’m sorry, it never really occurred to me,” Aaron apologized. “Maybe I should have said something, but I didn’t know if it was right and I couldn’t find the time. You wanted me to stay away so I left you alone. Besides those days have passed by and I don’t want to think about them much. I just want to find my children and have them home safe…with Hebe or me. But maybe it’s no use talking like this either…nothing’s going to change.”  

Selina stared at him for quite a long time. Aaron didn’t mutter any words either and just stood there.

“You don’t feel too distanced from me do you?” Aaron finally asked.

“Maybe not anymore,” Selina replied after thinking. “Maybe we can be friends.”

Aaron smiled a fragile looking one, “That’s good to hear.”  

Selina felt her heart dance when she saw his smile. It was one of the rare ones she’d never seen on his face even when they were together. He was happy, relieved.

“Can you hug me? Just once?” Aaron asked.

Selina got up from the swing and walked toward him. To comfort him…apologizing wasn’t enough. She locked her arms around his neck and hugged him. He had been through a lot and she didn’t need to ask him to know. Just looking at him and imagining how he felt…was enough pain showing from his eyes.

||||||||

After leaving the pizza parlor Ella walked to her car and just sat in the driver’s seat staring out into space. She was beginning to agree with what Hebe had told her a week ago about how nice it felt to talk to someone other than her. It was nice…great to talk to Selina. Somehow it felt as if Ella’s burden of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. Selina would make the difference and Ella would no longer have to be the medium between Aaron and Hebe. What she’d been hoping for, to feel better, it felt as if Selina would play that role. Ella believed in Selina and believed she would be able to straighten all their lives out. Why hadn’t she come back sooner? Tears of joy and relief began to fall from her eyes. The continuous misery and the aching pain she had suffered from Aaron and Hebe was finally beginning to ease.