A Night to Remember

I met Caleb in a small-town coffee shop on a beautiful winter day almost 10 years ago. I had just gotten off the phone with my friend, after telling her all about how I had been stood up, when suddenly there was a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and there before me was the most attractive man I had ever seen. He was around six feet tall, had long, brown hair, a hint of a beard, green eyes, and a smile that would make anyone swoon.

Flustered, I asked, “Can I help you?”

“Yeah, sorry to bother you…” he said nervously, “but, I couldn’t help overhearing you and I know that you’re probably going to say “no,” but I have an idea…. please just hear me out.” He paused and looked at me, waiting for the go ahead.

Curious, I nodded for him to continue.

“Okay, so I know that your date didn’t show, which I’m sorry about, but I have a solution for you. See, I’m only in town for the night, and I was supposed to be meeting up with my brother, but he called last minute and had to cancel because there was an emergency at his job. He’s a doctor. So, I was wondering if you’d maybe want to hang out with me? We can do whatever you want!”

He stopped talking and his eyes were pleading with mine to say yes, and I knew that I shouldn’t, I watched a lot of crime shows, and I was a lawyer, but in the end, I decided to go for it.

“Okay!” I tell him. “But, first, what’s your name?”

“Oh, I’m sorry! I’m Caleb Sutton. What’s yours?”

“I’m Elizabeth Adler. It’s nice to meet you. So, if we’re going do this, I’ll be driving and I’ll need your address and your license plate number. Oh, and I’ll need to take a photo of you! Gotta cover all my bases just in case you turn out to be a creep. Is that okay with you?” I asked.

“Absolutely!” he said while laughing.

After getting everything taken care of and sending his info and picture to my friend, Taylor, I directed Caleb to my car and drove him to my favorite bakery. When we pulled up to it and parked, he looked a little skeptical.

“Don’t worry.” I told him. “It may look run down on the outside, but the inside is magical, and they have the best chocolate cake!”

When we got inside, Caleb’s eyes went wide, and he looked at me with a grin and just nodded his head in approval. We both ordered a piece of chocolate cake, but while he ordered a black coffee, I ordered a hot chocolate. As we sat enjoying our cake and drinks, we got to know each other. He told me that he lived in Ohio and was an accountant and I told him that I was a lawyer. We told each other about our childhoods and our dreams. He told me that he was engaged, and I told him that I was once engaged, but had called it off after I found out he was cheating on me. We talked about anything and everything.

After an hour of chatting, I decided I’d take him ice skating because he’d never been. He looked terrified and adorable, as he stepped onto the ice for the first time. He was a quick learner though and within 15 minutes he no longer needed my help. I loved watching him and knowing that I’d helped someone experience something that they had never experienced before. Once we were finished ice skating, I took him to a restaurant that one of my friends owned. I told him her story and how the restaurant came to be and how she also owned the art gallery next door. When I told him that, he got really excited and told me that he loved art, so I told him that we’d go there after our meal.

Excited to get to the gallery, Caleb scarfed down his food and kept telling me to hurry up. He reminded me of a kid on Christmas morning. His excitement was contagious, so I hurriedly ate my food and took him next door. When we entered the gallery, Caleb immediately started wandering around and got lost in all of the works. I gave him a few minutes to himself, and then joined him. I told him about the pieces and the artists and pointed out when a piece was by someone I knew. When we got to the last piece, I held my breath waiting for his thoughts on it.

“This is amazing!” He said while staring in awe at the painting. “Who’s the artist? Do you know them?”

“Yeah, I know them.” Caleb looked at me, waiting for more information. “Ummm…. it’s me.” I said nervously.

The look on his face was priceless. “You? You painted this?” he asked.

“Yeah, I painted it a few weeks ago. Tonight’s actually its last night here. Apparently, some guy bought it the other day. It’s going to be shipped tomorrow.” I told him.

“Wow, I’m impressed!” he said.

“Thanks.” I told him with a small smile.”

By the time we left the gallery, it was late, and we only had an hour left before Caleb needed to leave, so I took him to my favorite park. It was a beautiful night, but cold, we could see our breath. The stars were out, and it was quiet and peaceful. After we had walked for a few minutes, I began to feel sad knowing that he would be leaving soon. I turned to look at him, only to find him already looking at me, so I decided to just put myself out there.

“I don’t want you to go. I know it’s crazy, but I feel so close to you and like our meeting was fate. Please stay.” I said with tears in my eyes.

“Elizabeth, I feel the same way, I really do, but…” he lets out a heavy sigh. “I can’t stay. As much as I feel a connection to you, I’m engaged. I love her and I would never do anything to hurt her. I hope you understand.”

“I do.” I said while sniffling.

On the way back to the coffee shop, so he could get his car, neither of us spoke. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence though. It was more of a sad silence. A silence of loss and acceptance. When we finally pulled up next to his car, we both got out and just stood there memorizing each other’s faces. Finally, I broke the silence.

“Don’t forget me, okay?”

“I could never.” he said while smiling at me affectionately. After a quick hug, he got into his car and drove away.

We never saw each other again after that night but that was about to change today. A month ago, I received a friend request from him on Facebook, and we reconnected. After catching up, we decided to meet up today, at the same coffee shop that we met in. As I sit waiting for him to arrive, I begin to get nervous, and butterflies start going crazy inside my stomach. I feel like a teenager again instead of the 40-year-old woman that I am. “What if he doesn’t think I’m interesting anymore,” I think to myself. “What if I don’t measure up to his memories of me from that night?” Suddenly, I’m pulled out of my thoughts when I hear my name being called. Excitedly, I look up, but it isn’t Caleb, it’s my sister.

“What are you doing here?” I ask her.

“It’s time for your medicine, Lizzie.” she says.

“What are you talking about? I can’t talk to you right now. Caleb will be here any minute.” I tell her, annoyed.

“Lizzie…Caleb isn’t coming, remember? We’ve talked about this before. Caleb isn’t real, that’s why you need to take your medicine.” she says with a sad smile.

“What are you talking about? Of course, he’s coming! There he is right now.” I get up to greet him. “Oh Caleb, I’m so glad you’re here. It’s so nice to see you after all this time. How have you been?” I ask him.

“Aunt Lizzie, it’s me, Kyle…. your nephew. Do you remember me?”

Suddenly, Caleb’s face is replaced by that of a teenager, and everything comes rushing back. Overwhelmed, I start sobbing. Caleb never existed. What we had never happened. It was all just a part of my disease. And just like that, I lost him all over again.