Chapter 3: Two Meetings
Still feeling uneasy, Sid was studying the menu in Pete's café. He sensed that someone was coming to serve him. He looked up.
"Sid?!" queried Cassie as her eyes met Sid's, "Is it really you? What on earth are you doing here?"
"Hoping to see you, Cass." said Sid, "I'm sorry! I know I said I wouldn't try to find you, but I still miss you even after two years."
"I've missed you as well, Sid." said Cassie, "I suppose in my heart, I was hoping that something like this might happen."
"I guess that means you're pleased to see me?" said Sid.
"Oh, Sid," said Cassie, "of course I am. Please hold me. I want to know you're real."
Sid got up and embraced Cassie. She put her arms round him, held him very tightly, rested her head on his shoulder and burst into tears. Sid gently caressed her back until her sobs eased.
"Oh my lovely Sid!" she gasped through her tears, "It's been such a long time. I've missed you so much."
"Sweet Cassie," said Sid, calmly, "I've missed you as well, but I just didn't know where you'd gone."
After a few more gentle caresses from Sid, Cassie's crying subsided and she was able to speak.
"After we parted, I came to London because I thought it would be harder for you to find me here." said Cassie, "Oh Sid, I'm so very lonely."
Cassie cried a little more, so Sid gently caressed her for a bit longer until he sensed that she was completely calm.
"Oh! Sweet Cassie! Why didn't you try to find me?" asked Sid, "You should have guessed that I'd go back to my mum in Bristol."
"I suppose I was trying to keep to that silly promise I made not to look for you." said Cassie.
"My lovely Cassie," said Sid, "I wanted to break it, but I didn't know how or where to find you."
"How did you find me?" asked Cassie.
"I was surfing the internet a couple of weeks ago trying to find out what nothingness was like." said Sid, "I was so depressed. I idly googled the word 'Oblivion' and I found this strange website. It was actually called 'Oblivion'. It was just a gallery of candid pictures of a really beautiful girl. It didn't take me long to realise that the girl was you. You looked so sad in most of them. It was heartbreaking, but it gave me a sliver of hope. I really felt I had to break the promise and find you. I still care about you. I still love you, Cass."
"Oh! Sid!" said Cassie, "I know we agreed not to look for each other, but I've missed you more than I thought possible. You've no idea how much saying goodbye to you hurt once It came home to me what I'd done."
"I think I have." said Sid, gently, "When I reached Los Angeles, I realised that I might never see you, hear your gentle voice or feel your loving touch again. I was totally gutted."
"I felt the same," said Cassie, "but by then you'd gone and I had no way of calling you. Anyway, I'm so glad you've broken the promise and found me," She paused briefly, "but we really will have to stop meeting like this."
She grinned.
"Wh-what do you mean?" asked Sid.
"Remember, you showed up out of the blue in New York." said Cassie, "I was just getting on with my work and I found you sitting in the diner – just like this morning."
"I wanted to surprise you." said Sid.
"You certainly did that." said Cassie, "You still haven't told me how you actually located this café."
Sid explained Maxxie's part in the location of the café. He also said that Maxxie would be coming to the café very soon.
"So you're the real reason Katie asked me what shifts I was working." said Cassie.
"I'm afraid so." said Sid, "I didn't want to come all the way here and find that you had a day off."
Cassie smiled. Her demeanour was getting brighter by the minute as she talked with Sid. He placed his order and allowed Cassie to go and remove the evidence of tears from her lovely face. When she emerged from the toilets, she happened to meet Jakob in the corridor, hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.
"What was that for?" asked Jakob, somewhat surprised.
"To thank you for getting my sweet Sid to come back to me." said Cassie, smiling, "I'll explain later."
Jakob continued towards the toilets looking puzzled while Cassie breezed back into the café smiling brightly and delivered Sid's coffee.
"We'll have to talk." said Cassie as she served the coffee.
"Could we meet after you finish today?" asked Sid, "I'm not going back to Bristol till late."
"Of course." said Cassie, "We close at half past two. I'm usually out at about three."
"That's perfect." said Sid, "When Maxxie arrives, we'll have a coffee here, then I'm taking him out to lunch. I'd love to see you after that."
"I'd like that." said Cassie, "It's a nice day. We could go up onto the heath. What time do you have to return home?"
"My train leaves Paddington at half past eleven tonight." said Sid, "That gives us half the afternoon and most of the evening."
About a quarter of an hour later, Maxxie arrived and joined Sid at his table.
"Well, Sid," said Maxxie, "how did it go?"
"Brilliantly!" said Sid, smiling, "I really believe she was happy to see me. Anyway, here she comes."
A smiling Cassie came to take their order.
"Wow, Cassie!" exclaimed Maxxie, "You're looking a lot brighter today. You're smiling again."
"You can thank Sid for that," said Cassie, brightly, "although I do know you had some part in this. Anyway, what would you two like?"
Sid ordered two lattes and then asked Maxxie where he would like to go for lunch.
"I'll take you to a pub next to the canal in Camden, near the market." said Maxxie, "We can eat outside but away from traffic."
"That's good." said Sid, "I'm meeting Cassie here at three. How long will it take to get there?"
"It's only three stops on the Northern line." said Maxxie. "The pub is only five minutes from Camden Town station."
Cassie served the coffees to Sid and Maxxie. She asked whether they would have lunch at the café.
"Maxxie's taking me to a canalside pub near Camden Market." said Sid, "I'll be back before three."
"I'll be waiting for you." said Cassie, "Have a good time and don't let him get you drunk."
"As if I would!" protested Maxxie.
After drinking their coffees, Sid and Maxxie made their way to the Ice Wharf pub in Camden. As Maxxie had promised, after Sid had ordered their food and drinks, they sat outside. Sid had a mixed grill while Maxxie had Gammon steak with eggs and chips on the grounds that it was satisfying but not too heavy. Each of them enjoyed a pint of draught Erdinger wheat beer. They talked about their experiences since leaving Roundview. Maxxie asked Sid about how he came to find Cassie in New York and about his travels with her round the USA. Sid explained the part Michelle's mother had in finding him somewhere to stay in the Big Apple while he was looking for Cassie. He also said that it was a wonderful coincidence that Grant Clifford, who owned the apartment Sid used, was a regular at the diner where Cassie was working. When Sid came to describe the result of his proposal of marriage to Cassie, it was clear to Maxxie that he was close to tears, even though he was going to see her in a couple of hours time.
"Wow, Sid!" said Maxxie, "I didn't realise she still meant so much to you. I can only wish for your sake that this afternoon does go well. I think it will. She certainly seemed very happy to see you this Morning. I did find two happy people."
"There's hardly been a day when I haven't thought about her." said Sid, "Ever since I first got to know her, she's been my ideal. She's just – special."
"I can only agree." said Maxxie, "There is something indefinable about Cassie. Even I can sense that. Anyway Sid, it's been good to see you after so long and I'm happy to have helped you."
They finished their drinks and started walking towards Camden Town station and continued their conversation.
"Anyway, Maxx," said Sid, "you said you were going to tell me about Caterina. Who is she? How did you meet her? What's happened with James?"
"Whoa!" exclaimed Maxxie, "One question at a time. Although I thought I might make a go of it with James, he was more interested in older guys and we drifted apart."
"I'm sorry to hear that." said Sid, "He seemed to be quite a nice bloke, but how on earth did you get involved with a girl. I always thought you were gay."
"I guess I'm not as gay as I thought I was." said Maxxie, "I'd said goodbye to James. I was feeling depressed and lonely, so I was sitting in a pub one Friday evening about a fortnight ago, just trying to get totally plastered. I was in such a state that I no longer cared what happened to me. This girl sat next to me and asked me straight out if I came from Bristol. I was surprised by the question, but there was something about her voice and manner that captivated me. We got talking and I found myself not only getting to know her but also I found her attractive. I was already so drunk that I couldn't make it home, so she looked after me that night. We spent the next two days together. We've started seeing each other. We're becoming a couple. I'm completely in love with her, believe it or not. It's happened so quickly."
"Wow!" exclaimed Sid, "You mentioned that she knew Cassie. How come?"
"It seems that when Cassie was in that clinic, she was Cassie's roommate." said Maxxie, "She spent yesterday evening with Cassie. I think that's partly why Cass wasn't expecting you to turn up today and it does explain how she knew so much about me."
What is she like?" asked Sid.
"She's quite skinny with pale skin, long black hair, beautiful brown eyes and a really lovely smile." said Maxxie, "Her voice is warm and reassuring and it feels so natural holding her and being with her. There's something really special about her. I've never felt quite this way about anyone before, not even James. I'm really beginning to understand how you feel about Cassie."
"Wow again!" said Sid, "You have surprised me. You've changed, but I suppose we all have. I can only hope that it really works out for you. From what Cassie told me about her roommate at the clinic, I think you might have found someone rather amazing."
"Thank you, Sid." said Maxxie, "I do have this feeling that Caterina is the girl for me. Anyway, it's five past two. You'd better go and meet your love. I'll be on my way to the theatre. We'll have to meet again sometime. Next time I see you I'll expect you two to be a couple as well. Perhaps we could make it a foursome."
"That's a nice thought." said Sid, "It depends on how this afternoon goes."
"From what I saw earlier, I think it will go well." said Maxxie.
By this time, they had reached Camden Town underground station.
"Thanks for that." said Sid, "Bye for now, Maxx. I've got a relationship to mend."
"Bye, Sid!" said Maxxie, "Don't forget to keep in touch."
"I'll try to." Said Sid.
Sid and Maxxie caught trains in opposite directions; Maxxie to Leicester Square and Sid back to Hampstead.
At five to three, Sid was standing outside Pete's café feeling just a bit anxious.