Prologue:
"There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go."
-Tennessee Williams
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"You're leaving me again."
Though the words are spoken softly, I still start. He's been so quiet for most of the cab ride to the station; I was beginning to think he had fallen asleep.
I turn my head to the left and study his profile for a minute. There's a slight tension in his face that I've never seen before.
It's not surprising, I guess – given our impending separation.
Though he doesn't respond to my rather blatant stare, I still lean over and plant a kiss on his jaw line before answering. "I'm not leaving you, I'm just going home for awhile." I affirm, before poking him in the stomach. "It's not like we're never going to see each other again."
"I know." He answers, as he reaches over with his right hand and clasps it over my left hand. "But…I just…" There's a fairly hopeless look in his eyes as he looks at me – one that I've never quite associated with his vibrant, gung-ho personality before.
"I know." I reply quietly.
We sit quietly for a few minutes, watching Parisian streets rush by our cab window.
While it's still fairly early in the morning, there are already people out on the streets, readying for another day in the city. There's a certain familiarity and order to it all – one that I've come to find comforting after two and half months.
As I watch a young girl and her mother walk down a crowded side street, each clutching large loaves of baguettes, a thought strikes me and I turn towards him. However, before I'm able to open my mouth, I'm interrupted by the gruff voice of the cab driver.
"Nous sommes ici."