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Chapter 7 – Life goes on

My dad and I made up the day after. I surprised him with a 50-year Glen McKenna scotch and a pack of El Piramide. I got a guy to buy me these things. Yes, I had a guy. I used up my savings in my piggy bank that day. It was my first time to pay for scotch and cigars and woah was it expensive! Dad talked to me again and I promised him that I will consult him first in those kinds of decisions.

Year 2040

Obviously, Mike is not your father. As I said earlier, we did last for 5 years. We broke up because he said I don't care about him anymore. The break up was painful. I thought he was my husband-to-be at that point. Dad comforted me throughout my mourning period. He made me laugh by telling me his plans of revenge to Mike, one was to throw a big rock on his window and run.

In that year I finally met your dad. It wasn't love at first sight. It was love at the realization that this guy is caring, compassionate, and loving. I told dad about him. He did not like him at first. I couldn't blame my dad because he just wants me to be happy for the rest of my life with a person that would never let me down.

We met at the subway station. It was the middle of the day and everyone was in chaos to catch the next train.

"Hello Miss, I'm Charles just call me Carl though 'cause my sister has this speech defect and can't pronounce the CH- sound. Sorry, but can I borrow a dollar? I would pay you back I swear" It was weird for a stranger to ask for money considering that this stranger is well dressed and my first impression was he is rich.

"Sure" I simply said and handed him the dollar. I then saw him give that dollar to the beggar at the corner. My reaction was not 'awww how sweet!' no not that but rather I snorted and thought to myself that this idiot is a player and just wants to get in my pants.

The day I realized that I love this guy is after our third accident bumping into each other. Every time we bump into each other, he would offer to take me to lunch or coffee because he said that he owed me money.

"Ellie! Hi" He had this killer smile.

"Hey! How are you?" I smiled as well.

"Fine. Good to see you! Hey do you want to go eat lunch together?"

"Sure but this time I'm gonna pay" He laughed at what I said.

That 3rd sort-of-date was very nice. It was different because the first two was just talking about me. This time he was the one who talked. He told me about his family, how he loves his little sister, his mom, and his dad- I found that touching because I love my dad too. He told me his interests, he likes dogs-me too, he likes to cook-I love to eat, he likes adventures-me too, he likes golf-I could watch him maybe. He told me that he was a sophomore in law school-I'm a freshman taking up business administration and plans to enter law school after. He plays the piano well-I can play piano, guitar, violin, ukulele, and saxophone. He told me I was the dream girl. He told me that I was not boring and that he thinks I'm beautiful. I did not easily fell for those words but then we were interrupted by a waiter saying it was already closing time. It was a lunch date and we talked our ears off for about 8 hours? Was that even possible? Yes. Your dad is funny, charming, and never boring and that's when I rethought of him as someone that I could spend my entire life with.

I had doubts at first because I did not have this love at first sight with him. It occurred to me that the successful marriages I know are based on love at first sight- Aunt Lily and Uncle Marshall at their college dorm, Uncle Ted and Aunt Tracy at my dad's wedding-too bad she died early but still they were happy. And I also thought about my dad. He did not have a successful married life with Aunt Robin because their's was not love at first sight. Dad enlightened me on this one. He told me that I should not compare myself to other people. I took that advice and dated Carl for a while.

That same year he asked me to be his girlfriend. I said yes with this simple reason:

We were happy. It was simple. It was love.

Year 2035

"We need to talk about this first" Suddenly Aunt Robin was not angry. She sounded desperate to get something out of her mind.

"There is nothing to talk about Robin and you know that" Dad responded also in a calm manner.

"You're kidding right?!" A questioning tone.

"What do you think? Am I? It's not like there would still be an outcome after us talking about it. It's like we are just going to state facts and state the 'what ifs', right? But in the end we will not do something about it because it will just end badly if we change something in our current lives"

"You're mad at me" She sounded like she was about to cry.

"It doesn't matter if I'm mad at you"

"It does. These past days I can see that your temper is affected, heck, you even shouted at your daughter. You love your kid!" She was making a point. I did notice his temper especially when I visit him in his office.

"That's different, she did something bad! Just drop this. Forget about it. Let's just be back to normal"

"Back to normal? Does this still feel normal to you? Barney! I cheated on Ted multiple times now. You forgot about everything? Let me remind you EACH ONE OF IT" She took a deep breath and continued. "Year 2030, the year I married Ted, you did not come because you were in vacation in Argentina. I was again in assignment there 3 days after my wedding and we bump into each other. We hanged out that night I was drunk and in the morning I woke up with us both naked" She choked but apparently wasn't done. "Year 2031, you said let's forget about it because it was meaningless anyway and so we were back to normal. At Marshall's birthday we were fooling around, Ted had to go home early for the kids to sleep and left me at Marshall and Lily's. You offered to drive me home after 10pm but had to first put Ellie to bed because she was already sleeping on the floor. I helped you put her to bed, then we started to talk about the kids and how we are all changed because of them. We started to talk comfortably then jokes were on the table. I kissed you as a joke and you did not break it, instead you leaned into it"

"I know those Robin!" He interrupted.

"I'M NOT FINISH" I heard her sniff. "Year 2032, again I was on assignment, Ted couldn't come because he had to take care of the kids and his job, but there you were offering to accompany me. I said 'no thanks' because you had Ellie to think about. You insisted and Ellie came along too. That vacation to Morocco was amazing. For the past two years, we started to do hang outs with the gang at least thrice a month and then you and Ellie were coming over to our house often. And if you were not able to come Ted and I, with Penny and Luke, came to your place. We were great friends. We all were. Then came last week. We were all at that Italian restaurant. You excused yourself to the restroom to wash your hands, I came along because I was going to wash my hands too. Then…then you kissed me, passionately kissed me. You stopped eventually and left. You took Ellie and said goodbye to the group. From then on, you never speak to me! You never did" She sighed deeply as if this was a big burden she was carrying all throughout.

"Robin, I stopped what I've done because it was wrong!" He replied with a tone implying that that was the obvious answer. "The story is over Robin. We are divorced. You married Ted. You are now the stepmother of his children. You are a successful journalist. You are HAPPY! I stopped my womanizing schemes. I have a daughter, a very beautiful, smart, and kind daughter. I have a life worth living now. I am HAPPY!"

"Barn.." She said softly.

"The story is over…" He repeated. "…PERIOD"