22 April 2007

— making history —

A couple's tearful farewell lingered in the shadows. The next morning, Ulises would begin a naval tour of duty; Penny would remain in the city. They headed in opposite directions, but in four years, they would marry.

The twins tugged their mother's dress, watching a man polish tables in an ice cream shop. Ulises' friends smoked cigarettes at the corner waiting for him.

“You should be with the kids tonight,” Penny whispered.

Ulises winced at the thought that they looked nothing like him. He stuffed a twenty in her hand and said, “Take them for some ice cream.” He fought tears when he knelt to hug the twins. When his embrace lasted longer than children will stand, he clung to them as they pulled away.

He let go and watched the three of them hurry to the crosswalk. Like a beacon, the streetlights above Ulises flickered. Seeing he almost missed his chance, he wiped his eyes and ran to his fiancé and held her close.

Penny's mobile phone chimed in. She held up the display showing her ex-boyfriend calling. She blushed, but sent the call to voice mail; Ulises took the twenty back.

And, with that, their plans were history.

John Young writes flash fiction and authors a featured flash fiction market column in Pam Casto's e-newsletter, Flash Fiction Flash. Read more about John here.

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