around the waist and began dancing with her happily.
“What’s the matter with you, sweetheart?” She laughed, but kept on dancing with him.
“We are celebrating,” he replied.
She didn’t bother asking further. She assumed it was connected with his job as an executive manager.
***
When Ashley returned to her small apartment in Redwood City, she instantly went to her daughter’s room.
“Look who’s here!” her mother said aloud, and Briana turned in surprise.
“Mommy!” the little one cried.
“That’s right, Mommy’s here with her little girl and she’s not going anywhere.” Ashley hugged her tightly, as though she were afraid somebody would take her from her.
“What’s up, Mommy? Why are you crying?”
“It’s all right, baby. Mommy’s crying because she’s happy.” Ashley wiped her eyes and looked at her mother with gratitude.
“You react too sentimentally, as usual.” Ashley’s mother gave her a critical look.
***
Chad threw the car keys onto the table in the living room. The place was quiet, so he guessed Martin wasn’t back from the theater yet. He had just sat down and was relaxing on the couch, his eyes half-closed for a nap, when his boyfriend’s voice startled him.
“Wake up, sleepy! I have a great surprise for you.” Martin sat on the couch next to him.
“Humph… what is it?” Chad didn’t move.
“My parents are coming to San Francisco for the weekend and I want you to meet them.” He smiled widely. “Isn’t that awesome?”
Chad smiled in return and hugged him. It was so nice to be at home and be himself.
***
Wayne had expected that his girlfriend Cassidy would make a scene because of his absences and the lack of attention he’d been demonstrating for her recently, but instead, she gave him a warm welcome.
“You’re really not mad at me?” he asked her, surprised.
“What for? It’s just the way you are, and I’ve accepted that.” She looked him in the eyes. “But it hurts me when you cheat on me.”
“I swear I never slept with your friend…” he began, but she interrupted him, placing her finger on his lips.
“How about we take a walk?”
The two of them went out and the cool summer wind made them feel fresh. They had the whole evening ahead of them.
Epilogue
A year later
“Can I take your order, ma’am?” The waiter was standing, waiting to write down the orders of the newly arrived customers – three men and a woman.
A year had passed since Ashley, Craig, Chad, and Wayne’s group trip, and they had gathered now at Gordon Biersch where they traditionally met.
“A glass of mineral water with some lemon in it, please,” Ashley answered, still looking at the menu. She didn’t feel like drinking alcohol that night.
The waiter turned to the men. All three of them ordered different types of alcoholic cocktails.
“So, Ash, how is your business going?” Craig asked when the waiter left them.
“Very well, actually; I’ve made over five thousand dollars in profit for the past month. Almost four times the amount I earned back at Starbucks.”
“Can you remind me what it is you do?” Wayne asked.
“I import clothes from Mexico,” Ashley grinned.
“Maybe I should join you. Ever since I quit Cisco Systems and began working for Network INC, I’ve been earning half as much,” Craig inserted.
“But I guess your working hours are a lot less too, right?” Chad said.
“Well, yeah, that’s why I left Cisco – to spend more time with my family. But if there was a way I could manage my business without having to work thirteen hours a day, I would be up for it.”
“I’ll think about your offer, Craig.” Ashley took a sip of water from the glass the waiter had just served.
“It’s interesting that you decided to have your own business, Ash. I don’t remember you showing any interest in entrepreneurship before,” Wayne said with curiosity.
She smiled.
“I guess our time travel trip takes the credit for
“What’s the matter with you, sweetheart?” She laughed, but kept on dancing with him.
“We are celebrating,” he replied.
She didn’t bother asking further. She assumed it was connected with his job as an executive manager.
***
When Ashley returned to her small apartment in Redwood City, she instantly went to her daughter’s room.
“Look who’s here!” her mother said aloud, and Briana turned in surprise.
“Mommy!” the little one cried.
“That’s right, Mommy’s here with her little girl and she’s not going anywhere.” Ashley hugged her tightly, as though she were afraid somebody would take her from her.
“What’s up, Mommy? Why are you crying?”
“It’s all right, baby. Mommy’s crying because she’s happy.” Ashley wiped her eyes and looked at her mother with gratitude.
“You react too sentimentally, as usual.” Ashley’s mother gave her a critical look.
***
Chad threw the car keys onto the table in the living room. The place was quiet, so he guessed Martin wasn’t back from the theater yet. He had just sat down and was relaxing on the couch, his eyes half-closed for a nap, when his boyfriend’s voice startled him.
“Wake up, sleepy! I have a great surprise for you.” Martin sat on the couch next to him.
“Humph… what is it?” Chad didn’t move.
“My parents are coming to San Francisco for the weekend and I want you to meet them.” He smiled widely. “Isn’t that awesome?”
Chad smiled in return and hugged him. It was so nice to be at home and be himself.
***
Wayne had expected that his girlfriend Cassidy would make a scene because of his absences and the lack of attention he’d been demonstrating for her recently, but instead, she gave him a warm welcome.
“You’re really not mad at me?” he asked her, surprised.
“What for? It’s just the way you are, and I’ve accepted that.” She looked him in the eyes. “But it hurts me when you cheat on me.”
“I swear I never slept with your friend…” he began, but she interrupted him, placing her finger on his lips.
“How about we take a walk?”
The two of them went out and the cool summer wind made them feel fresh. They had the whole evening ahead of them.
Epilogue
A year later
“Can I take your order, ma’am?” The waiter was standing, waiting to write down the orders of the newly arrived customers – three men and a woman.
A year had passed since Ashley, Craig, Chad, and Wayne’s group trip, and they had gathered now at Gordon Biersch where they traditionally met.
“A glass of mineral water with some lemon in it, please,” Ashley answered, still looking at the menu. She didn’t feel like drinking alcohol that night.
The waiter turned to the men. All three of them ordered different types of alcoholic cocktails.
“So, Ash, how is your business going?” Craig asked when the waiter left them.
“Very well, actually; I’ve made over five thousand dollars in profit for the past month. Almost four times the amount I earned back at Starbucks.”
“Can you remind me what it is you do?” Wayne asked.
“I import clothes from Mexico,” Ashley grinned.
“Maybe I should join you. Ever since I quit Cisco Systems and began working for Network INC, I’ve been earning half as much,” Craig inserted.
“But I guess your working hours are a lot less too, right?” Chad said.
“Well, yeah, that’s why I left Cisco – to spend more time with my family. But if there was a way I could manage my business without having to work thirteen hours a day, I would be up for it.”
“I’ll think about your offer, Craig.” Ashley took a sip of water from the glass the waiter had just served.
“It’s interesting that you decided to have your own business, Ash. I don’t remember you showing any interest in entrepreneurship before,” Wayne said with curiosity.
She smiled.
“I guess our time travel trip takes the credit for
Similar Books
