Once upon a time, two people met and for a brief moment everything was perfect. Then followed a few years of confusion, a few years of no contact, until finally the two sat down to catch up.

In so many ways, this long-awaited meeting—hers—mirrored the first. A bar. A table for two. Way too much talking about business—him. Way too much teasing—her. And for a few moments it felt like exactly what it was supposed to feel like: two old friends getting together.

Time had been good to these people. If possible, the man looked better than he had that first time oh so long ago. The tension had left his face. The woman looked good too. She was more confident than when they’d parted. She knew not to expect any answers. Instead, she nodded as he talked, the night playing out in predictable fashion. There was even talk of the weather.

She realized then, that there was no going back. The person she’d glimpsed all those years ago was gone forever and left in his place was a man on a different sort of mission. The mission he’d chosen instead was so noble she couldn’t complain—there wasn’t any room for her anyway.