You can go home again

20 years. It seemed like only yesterday. It was like a scene from those romantic movies she loved, he left to pursue his career, she stayed behind. Well, maybe not so romantic. What really happened was he tried to let her down easy, she wasn't having any of it, everyone ended up angry and in tears. He liked the romance version better.

He had only been 21, just starting his career and, to be perfectly honest, pretty full of himself. She was 19 and wanted to settle down near her family and start one of her own. He had no desire to be tied down and after that night, he left to take a job in Illinois. He tried to keep track of her through friends but as the weeks turned into months and then into years, the updates became fewer and eventually he lost track.

His life, for the most part, had gone as he thought it would. He spent a few years climbing the corporate ladder, dated sparingly but eventually met a girl, married and had 2 kids. Then, after 8 years of marriage, his wife was fed up with his working all the time, never wanting to go out with her and hanging out with his 'juvenile delinquent' friends. She left him, a blessing for both of them really, taking the kids and moving in with the guy she was having an affair with. That was 5 years ago. He sees the kids all the time and his ex's new husband turned out to be a great dad.

It was then that the letter arrived. It had been a while since he heard from the gang back east and even longer since it was more than a quick email catching up on the latest events. He opened the letter and started to read...