“I’m not sure why I stopped when I saw her, maybe because of how long it’d been. Maybe it’s because of how much I had missed her. I can’t be sure though, as to why I stopped. I just did. I stopped right where I was, in the middle of the sidewalk. Countless people milling past me, some of them hissing rude remarks that I had ignored. I barely heard them at the time, but now with some time past, I can remember them clearly. Funny how that works, isn’t it?

“There are other things easier to recount now that time has gone by. Like, the way she had looked at me when she noticed me standing there. The way her face had looked; a beautiful smile, filled with joy and without a shred of concern. Her reddish hair was slightly curled, and fell around her face even though she had tucked it behind her ear. She had reached down into the stroller in front of her, her smile broadened. I mean, of course I was a bit in shock due to the existence of the child, I wonder if it’s hers… Do you know? Well, that’s beside the point I suppose. I could hear her laugh from where I was.
The sounds that existed in the surrounding world had faded, only her laugh was audible. Her laugh… it was like, chimes. Beautiful. That moment is how I will always remember her, that happiness will be the epitome of her existence for me.

“That ‘moment in time’ was shattered when her eyes fell upon me. Her smile quickly turned into a look of distaste. I can remember exactly how her soft, blue eyes turned hard and cold. Her lips tightened, she might have quivered a bit… Could have been the wind tugging on her clothes though. God! Even angry, and perhaps even a bit scared, she was so beautiful! Then, of course she took out her phone. To be honest, I really didn’t know she was going to call you. I mean; I was only outside… I had no real intention of running into her. I didn’t chase her down or anything. I watched her dial your number with nothing but love in my heart… until I found out it was your number, of course. At that point I must admit there was a bit of fear, a little sadness, too… mostly fear though.

“The whole while she had been dialing, she never took her eyes off of me. I was half expecting my phone to ring. I mean, I suppose I did look a bit curious. I was, after all, frozen in place. Imagine that! A fully-grown, six-foot man frozen in place! In the middle of a sidewalk, no less. Oh, I really was quite the sight wasn’t I? A man frozen in place by the beauty of a woman who resents him, she even has that silly document to prove it… In fact, I stayed in that spot until you came and picked me up…. Speaking of which, can I go now? The day is nearing an end and I really ought to be getting home, Officer.”