The park was almost empty and the few people wandering around there seemed to be there only because they had no other place to go. The wind was freezing and the last yellowish leaves that had still managed to stay in the trees were withering. A young woman, well in her twenties but not thirty yet, was sitting on one of the benches that stood alongside the road circling the park. Her chestnut hair was curly and reached just below her shoulders that were sheltered in a light brown duffel coat. She was Madeline Wirtz. She had been there for over half an hour, but the person she was waiting for still hadn't appeared. Maybe she wasn't going to come at all, Madeline thought and felt a strangely relieved disappointment start to grow inside of her. After all, she wasn't quite sure if she would have been ready to see Legs after ten years.

These days Maddy had often been thinking about the time she had known Legs and the rest of the gang. It had been such a short time, and sometimes she wanted to return to those crazy days without worries or rules. But well, of course she realized now how stupid they had been. They had even committed crimes, and Maddy sure regretted that. But there was nothing about Legs she would have regretted, except maybe the fact that she never confessed her true feelings, never took the risk. Oh yes, probably Legs had known all the time. The way she used to tease her and her smiles when Maddy got lost in her eyes in the middle of a sentence. Most obvious.

The real question was that if Legs knew how she felt, then why hadn't she done anything about it. Maddy believed Legs had been her true love all the way. Or would have been if they had had a chance, she reminded herself. When Legs had disappeared Maddy had cried for a long time, been so angry she could have killed someone. If missing was that bad, she didn't really want to miss anyone. There had, however, been some good things in their friendship, too. After Legs was gone Maddy had grown a lot more independent and brave. And after the divorce many years later she had finally learned to do things her way. Not to take any shit, as Legs would have said.

She hadn't heard anything, but suddenly someone touched her shoulder. Of course she knew who it was before she turned around. Legs had sure changed a lot. Her dark brown hair was a bit longer than it used to be and she was dressed quite formally in a brown men's suit. Maddy had never before seen a woman look good dressed like that, but of course Legs would have been beautiful dressed in a paper bag. She seemed taller than Maddy had remembered but somehow seemed to be more balanced. Maddy was sure she would soon wake up and realise it had all been just an exceptionally vivid dream. For a while they just stood there staring at each other, the situation too awkward for them to say anything.

Legs was the first one to speak. "Madeline. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Maddy just nodded because she still wasn't able to find any words. Legs had the same blue eyes, she noticed. And the lips, God have mercy, the lips she had wanted to kiss so many times.

"So, how've you been doing? Married, children?" Legs asked in a low pleasant voice.

"Err… No. I was married but we divorced two years ago. I'm an art teacher now."

"Ethan?" Legs raised her eyebrow.

Maddy just nodded, feeling suddenly ashamed of her marriage. Of course she had known already back then that it wouldn't last. After Legs nothing had felt right, so she had chosen the easiest way. Everybody had expected her to marry Ethan and so she did.

They talked about their lives and the past ten years. Slowly the situation got easier and Maddy started to feel warm and happy inside. It was almost as it had been before. Legs told her she was a social worker, helped kids in trouble. Maddy in return told about her art studies and how she had become a teacher. Legs laughed and smiled and Maddy knew she was hopelessly gone. If she wouldn't get this woman she would lose her mind. She was at the same time very familiar and excitingly new, and Maddy couldn't really concentrate on the conversation. Her heart was racing when she asked about Legs's lovers. The woman was silent for a while and then looked at her in the eyes, suddenly serious.

"I've had many girls in my bed but only one in my heart."

Maddy didn't need to ask who that one was. She knew and she was happier than ever.

On their way to Maddy's apartment they talked more. Their hands found each other and they walked slowly, slowly. The breeze threw Maddy's curls onto her face so that she couldn't see anything and Legs laughed at her expression. They were again seventeen, careless and full of new things to explore. Maddy stopped and pointed at a dark window in the top floor of a big old apartment house.

"That's where I live. Not too fancy but enough for me."

Legs just nodded and followed Maddy to the door. Climbing up the stairs took forever – but fortunately Legs had learned to believe in stairs because climbing up the wall would certainly have taken more time. Maddy smiled and almost dropped her house key when trying to open the door. Legs took her trembling fingers into her own and they stood at the doorway, paralysed by the feeling of their hands touching.

They sat in the kitchen, a small round table and two boiling hot cups of tea between them. Legs's green shirt was not exactly a tight fit but Maddy could see the outlines of her body through it. She wondered what it would be like to touch that body.

"I was planning to stay for a while. Do you mind if I sleep here or --?" Legs said after a while.

"Oh no, stay as long as you like," Maddy answered eagerly. The situation reminded her of the night when Legs had appeared behind her window all those years ago. The memory made her smile.

"What?" Legs asked in a playfully irritated tone.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. Just that… Stay as long as you like."

Legs leaned on her and their lips met for the first time. It was an extremely slow and sensual kiss, full of discovering new things and learning a new person.

"…Forever?"