Chapter Twelve: Too Late

"Excuse me, Miss Lockhart?"

Diane looked up from the paper she'd been reading to face someone she recognized immediately, even though she'd only seen her once before.

"Miss Parker," she said and tried to hide her insecurity behind a smile.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, I just…may I sit down for a minute?"

"Please," she pointed in the direction of the other chair, but it bothered her that she had no idea what the woman wanted from her.

"I know it's not exactly appropriate for me to do this, now that you and Kurt are back together, but I saw you and I thought…"

Diane was startled to hear her words. She'd managed to get her mind off him in the last weeks, she almost started dating already. Will casually introduced her to one of his friends and even though she saw the reason behind that she still considered going out with the guy.

"Me and Kurt? I haven't seen Kurt in a month."

"He hasn't gone back to you?"

"Back to me? Why would he have come back to me?"

"Because of what he'd told me about you, the evening after that party."

"He told you about me?"

The evening after the party had been after their meeting in the coffee shop. She was glad he'd made the right decision, but apparently he wasn't with Lilian any more, which surprised her. She'd thought she'd done him a favour, helping him to go the right way.

"Yes and I have to say I got pretty angry, there's nothing I hate more than a man lying to me. I told him I never wanted to see him again. But then I saw you and I've done some thinking in the last month and calling him would be awkward. I'm sorry, this was a bad idea. I should go."

"I…I really don't know what to say. Except that if you want to tell him something, call him. Maybe you can work this out, it's not too late yet."

This was the advice she should have given to herself as well when she'd let him go three years ago. Maybe they could have still worked it out a few weeks later, but it had been three years.

"He was pretty determined, he wanted to break up, I thought you were the reason."

"And you are not angry with me?"

"The man travelled around the continent for three years, because he had no idea what he wanted from life any more, it's not your fault that he still hasn't found the answer."

Diane had to smile at this remark. Lilian seemed to know Kurt quite well.

"Looks like he will find the answer somewhere else. You haven't seen him since then either?"

"No, and like I said I didn't have the courage to call him, I thought you could tell him for me that I understand and I wish him to be happy. God I sound pathetic. I'm really sorry I bothered you."

"It's ok, I understand. You should consider calling him. He is not with me, so there's a good chance he wouldn't mind if you two talked about it again, under calmer circumstances."

"If one of us should call him, that's you. The way he talked about you, I had the feeling he was still in love with you."

Diane wasn't ready to hear this from her mouth. Her words confused her and she had no idea what to answer.

"I should really go now, but I hope you two will find a way to work this out. You don't have to worry about me, telling these to you already helped, I think it helps me move on, it's time."

Lilian got up and Diane still didn't find the right words to say.

"Thank you," she said finally and smiled at the woman, who waved her goodbye and left.

She was more confused than ever. Kurt had left Lilian the same day she'd told him they shouldn't meet again. Where had he been in the last month? Had she really been the reason why he'd broken up with Lilian? Then why hadn't she heard from him ever since? Had he gone away again?

She had so many questions and she could have just picked up the phone and asked him, but she didn't do it. A month ago she had told him that had been the last time they'd talked, she'd told him she'd belonged to his past. Of course she had only said those things because he had been with someone else. And if it hadn't been for Lilian she would still have thought they lived together happily. It made a difference that she knew the truth, but maybe he had broken up with her so he could have gone away again and if that had been his decision she had no right to keep him back.