The house looked exactly the same way that it did 7 years ago. Nothing had changed. Jim still sat in the huge chair in front of the bay window in the front of the living room, and Diane's matching chair still sat beside it. They still had the couch across from both chairs and the coffee table was still in the middle. The same coffee table that Lance and I would color and draw on and trip over while chasing each other threw his house. All the shelves were still filled with the same books, and the whole house still smelled of fresh baked apple pie and fresh bread. I couldn't believe that it was still the same.
"Mandi? I haven't seen you in SO long," came the familiar voice of Stacy, as she got up to hug me.
"Wow Stace. You look great!" I said as we pulled away after hugging for a long moment.
"You look amazing," she said looking me over. "How have you been?"
"I've been good," I said smiling slightly. The past 7 years hadn't been the greatest, but I didn't want to spoil the fun right now.
"Good! OH! I want you to meet someone," Stacy said backing away slightly towards the couch. "Mandi, this is Ford, my husband. Ford this is Mandi, an old friend of ours that just moved back across the corner."
"Nice to meet you Mandi," Ford said standing up and shaking my hand. "I have heard a lot about you."
"Nice to meet you too," I said blushing slightly. I could only imagine some of the stories that Stacy had probably told him.
"Hey what's all this noise about?" I heard a familiar voice say from the hallway. "I just got Emily to sleep, you guys are gonna wake her up"
I gasped in a low breath of air as I saw him come into the family room. It was my Lance. He still looked exactly the same as the day I left. He was wearing dark blue jeans, and a forest green shirt. He looked like he came directly out of the picture of us under our tree.
He stopped in the door way. "Mandi?" he whispered in disbelief, staring at me.
"Lance."
Before I knew what was going on I was wrapped in his arms in a big hug. Tears sprang to my eyes as we held each other again. It had been almost 3 years since I had seen Lance, and those were the longest 3 years of my life. We stood there holding each other for what seemed like eternity, when we both reluctantly pulled apart. Neither one of us could say anything; we just stared at each other.
"You'll stay for dinner won't you Mandi?" Diane asked me, bringing Lance and I both back to reality.
"I...I don't know. I have to be home at 6:30," I said quietly, still looking at Lance. I wasn't sure if I was really ready to be around him for this long again. I was kind of scared that I'd disappoint him in some way.
"Well it's only 4:30 and dinner will be ready in about half an hour," Diane ventured.
"Please stay," I barely heard Lance whisper.
"Okay, Yes I'll stay," I said looking away from Lance for the first time. "Thank you."
"Hunny, you may have moved away for 7 years, but you know you are always welcome for dinner and you always will be," Diane said smiling. "Why don't you two go talk, the swing is still out there," Diane winked at me.
I smiled back at her, with my arms still around Lance's waist. I didn't want to let go of him. He said nothing but started leading me to the sliding glass door. He slid the door open for us and we stepped out onto the deck still clutching onto each other.
As he closed the door, we both took off running across the deck. It was an old tradition to race each other to the swing, and whoever got there last had to tell the other one about their day first. Lance had gotten there first, which had usually happened when we were younger too.
"No fair," I said gasping for breath. "You cheat."
"Oh yeah?," he said also gasping. "How?"
"You live here," I said gaining my breath back.
"It hasn't changed M," he said looking me over slightly. "Neither have you. You still look exactly the same," he said sitting on the swing.
"So do you," I said sitting next to him. Suddenly I heard a baby crying inside.
