You sheltered me from harm
Kept me warm
Kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free
Set me free
The finest years I ever knew
Were all the years I had with you …
-Bread, “Everything I Own”
Isaac and Taryn stayed for a few more drinks, then left the bar, stopping to say goodbye to Gregor and Cam on the way out.
“Call me tomorrow,” Gregor sang.
“Count on it,” Taryn said.
When they were settled back in the Jimmy, Isaac looked at Taryn apologetically.
“I really should be getting back to the hotel,” he said quietly. “It’s after one and my family’s probably wondering where I am.”
“Of course you should,” Taryn said. “I understand.”
“Where would you like me to drop you?”
“Home,” Taryn said. “I don’t think I could drive with my eyes like this. I’ll just have Cam come over tomorrow and take me to my car. We usually have brunch on Saturdays anyway.”
Isaac started the truck, and soon they were back on the road, headed for the townhouse where Taryn lived with her mother and daughter in Greenwich Village.
They were silent for the majority of the trip, with the exception of Taryn giving Isaac directions. Neither one wanted to say that after tonight it might be a very long time before they saw each other again.
When they pulled up in front of the townhouse, Isaac got out of the Jimmy and walked around to open the door for Taryn. He took her hand and they walked to the door.
“God, Taryn, I don’t know what to say to you,” he said. “I feel like I want to cry.”
“Don’t you dare,” she said. “If you start, so will I.”
Isaac took Taryn’s face gently in his hands. “You are a very special person. This has been an amazing night.”
Taryn felt the tears stinging her eyes. She buried her head in Isaac’s sweater.
“Will you call me before you leave?” she managed to choke out.
“Of course. What time will you be home from brunch?”
“By one.”
“OK. My plane leaves at 2:30. I’ll call you from the airport.”
Taryn lifted her watery brown eyes to meet Isaac’s. “Don’t forget.”
“I could never forget.”
He brushed Taryn’s forehead with his lips.
“Taryn, I have to go or I never will,” he said.
Just then, snow began to fall lightly.
Isaac held Taryn tightly to him for one more minute, watching the snow flakes fall on her auburn hair.
“This isn’t goodbye,” he said. “This is ‘see you later.’ I believe that you and I will never be apart for very long again in our lives. Somehow, we’re always going to be together. Hold onto that, OK?”
Taryn nodded, unable to speak. Isaac kissed her forehead one more time, then jogged briskly out to the truck.
Don’t look back, man, he thought to himself. You’ll never be able to leave her if you do.
Taryn began to sob softly as Isaac put the Jimmy into gear and pulled away from the curb. She watched him drive away until the truck’s taillights disappeared. She sighed deeply and tried to compose herself.
“See you later, Isaac,” she whispered into the cold night air.
