Same Time Next Year

by Tessa Bailey

With women, problems need to be solved with words. My father taught me that lesson early and reiterated it throughout my life. It’s engraved in my psyche.

“The grace and character and fucking forgiveness it took to be friends with Bryce? Those are not small things. The bravery it took to cover your mother’s shifts . . . not small.” I let out a gusting exhale. “I’m sorry I mistook protecting yourself for fear.”

If anyone ever hurts this girl again, I’m going to start tearing down skyscrapers like hockey Godzilla.

“Can you please try and piece together what you’re feeling and communicate it to me?”

“But you should know I’m going to miss you, too, Britta. Every day I have to go without seeing your eyes is going to be a slow death.”

Can you not see that I’m starving to death for you? Can’t you tell I missed you so horribly that my family couldn’t even make me smile?

“You don’t have to stop me from looking at anyone but you, because I don’t want to look in the first place. Put parental controls on my phone, my laptop, block porn sites. Track my location. Lock my dick in a cage. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you realize I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here. I’ll make you feel secure until you realize it’s only ever going to be you.”

“We accomplished what we set out to do. You needed to stay with the Bandits long enough to be signed—and it happened. We did it. You did it. It’s your dream.” “Yeah? But along the way, Britta, the dream started to include you. All right?”

“Maybe my dream has included you since the beginning, but the more time that passed, it started to feel like an actual possibility. You and me, Britta.”

I’ll support you and love you through anything. Anything. Don’t make me leave you behind, goddammit. Please.”

“You found this way to overcome the past, right? This place became your purpose. You kept people at a safe distance. But now? Now, the past is beating you. It’s winning.” He drops a heavy fist onto the table. “So come on. Don’t let it do that.”

Well, I choose her. I’ll choose her every day for eternity.

“I wouldn’t have let that happen, sweetheart. I would have kept right on loving you until you came home to me.” “I know,” she whispers.

“Now go out there and win.” My voice is thick with emotion when I tell her, “I already have.”