He was driving along and realized he'd be passing by, it wouldn't be that much out of the way, and he hadn't been back in several years. But, was there any reason to go back?

She would be passing right through, or could be if she took the business route instead of the bypass. It was near lunch time and she hadn't had one of Rosie's burgers in quite a while.

He turned off the highway onto RT 4. The farm fields were comforting. He hadn't realized how much he missed the country, how city life was just adding to his stress. Especially with the house so full of memories. He saw her everywhere he looked. Hard to spend seventeen years in a house with a wife and not have it full of memories. But those memories just haunted him and always led to the same downward spiral. Why did she leave? How did he lose her? What did he do wrong? What was wrong with him?

She took the Business route and smiled as she passed all the shops and stores she had been in so may times as a girl. Herker's Hardware was still there, but Mr. Herker was long gone. How sweet he had been when she ran errands for her father. Every time she passed through she remembered how happy her childhood had been. Actually, her whole life had been happy. Bob had been such a kind and caring father and husband. Damn it all! Why did he have to die so young? She fought back the tears, but the loneliness remained.

She parked just short of the green. It was a little early for lunch and a stroll to stretch her legs would be welcome after the long car ride. He parked in the Court House lot and strolled the green to a bench. He sat trying to chase the guilt and sorrow. She noticed the tall figure ahead of her sit, but was focused on the beautiful Court House and the Civil War monument near it. He looked up as she neared. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Sam?" she asked. "Is that you Sam?" He looked at her and smiled before responding "Yes, Kate. It's me. Been a long time, hasn't it?"

She sat next to him and they started to reminisce. They had been so much in love in high school. Everybody thought they were destined for each other. But different colleges and pursuit of careers had caused them to drift apart. Both had married, had kids, enjoyed successful careers. They had so much to talk about, so much catching up to do. They learned so much about each other's lives since High School. But both had the same feeling. Sitting there on the bench together made them feel like it was Spring of Senior Year and they had just met up to go get a soda at Rosie's.

Kate took the initiative. "Want to get a soda at Rosie's, and maybe some lunch to go with it?" Sam had a distant, wistful look in this eye but he smiled and answered in the way she always had, "Sure, but only if we go Dutch."