I watched the moonlight glisten on the waters of Laguna Beach. "I'll miss it here, but living in the Big Apple is everything I've ever wanted - a dream comes true."
We met a group of our friends at a local cafe, and I jabbered on about the possibility of my move. Laughter erupted from a nearby table. I watched as a handsome man captured the attention of his friends with his engaging story. His broad, warm smile and air of confidence held me in a trance. Stacy nudged me. "You're staring, Michelle, and about to drool."
"Wow," I whispered. I watched the gorgeous guy push up the sleeves of his bulky sweater. Everyone at his table had their eyes fixed on him. "That's the man I want to marry." "Yeah, right," Stacy droned. "Tell us more about where you'd like to live in New York, because we all plan to visit you there when you land this job." As I spoke my gaze drifted back to the debonair man.
Three months later my friends and I gathered at the same restaurant. "To life in the Big Apple！" they cheered as we tapped our glasses together. "My chance of a lifetime！" We talked for hours. I told them of my plan to save money by moving out of my beach cottage and renting a room for the few remaining months. Our friend offered, "I have a fellow South African friend who is considering renting one of the four bedrooms in his house. His name is Barry. A great guy." He scribbled on a napkin. "This is his number. He's a forty-two-year-old confirmed bachelor. Says he's much too busy being a single dad to be a husband."
I made an appointment to see the room the same day. I approached the entrance of the spacious house, and the door opened. "You must be Michelle," he said. He pushed up the sleeves of his bulky sweater and flashed his handsome smile. It was the man from the restaurant months before— the man I wanted to marry.
I stood staring, my mouth gaping, hoping I wasn't drooling.
"You are Michelle, aren't you? " he said, coaxing me out of my trance." Would you like to see the room?"
I followed him through a tour of the house, then accepted when he offered me a cup of tea. Barry had a sophisticated kindness about him and listened attentively as I chattered nervously about myself. His silver-rimmed glasses accented a few gray streaks in his dark hair. Soon, his warm, inviting smile put me at ease, and we spent the next two hours talking casually. Ultimately, I decided not to take the room and reluctantly bade him good-bye.
The months went by quickly while I busied myself with preparation for the move. I thought of Bany often, but couldn't consider calling him.
"I'm moving to New York in three weeks, "I said to Stacy as we walked out of my office and into the dining area. "As much as I'd like to see him again, it would only complicate my life.
"Well, brace yourself for complications," Stacy muttered, then nodded toward the door. Barry, with his big blue eyes and engaging smile, walked into my restaurant.
"Hello," he said softly. "Do you have time to join me for a cup of coffee?""Of course." I tried not to gasp.
We slid into a booth and our conversation picked up where it left off before. He, too, was making a career change and was moving back to South Africa. His departure date was one week before mine. Now I knew I had to calm my pounding heart. We obviously had no future together. He took my phone number and invited me to dinner sometime. I accepted, suppressing my sadness, knowing I would be leaving in two short weeks and the date would probably never happen.
But it did. He picked me up a few days later for a movie and dinner. We talked for hours about our lives, our hopes, our separate dreams— mine in New York, his in South Africa. Never had I spoken so freely, so comfortably, with a man. He reached across the table and took my hand. I thought I saw in his eyes the same love l felt swelling in my hear. He said, "I'm just sorry I met you only one week before l leave."
"We still have seven days.” I said meekly.
"Then let's make the most of it." He helped me on with my sweater. Hand in hand, we strolled to the car and made plans for the next day and the next and the next. As he drove me home, Tracy Chapman sang, "Give me one reason to stay, and I'll turn right back around." Was his heart singing along like mine?
“这可是我生命中的一次机遇。”我对斯泰西说。说着，我锁上办公室的门，离开了我经营多年的饭店。“在纽约生活，这可是每个27岁的女人所梦寐以求的——还有几个月我就可以知道能否获准迁入。”
我凝视着倒映在拉古纳湾水面上的月光。“我很留恋这里，可住在纽约是长久以来我心中惟一的梦想——如今，美梦就要成真了！”
在街上的一家小咖啡店里，我们遇到了一群朋友，我便和他们闲聊着我可能要走的事。这时，邻近的一张桌子爆发出阵阵笑声。我应声望去，看见一个英俊的男人正在给他的朋友讲一个引人入胜的故事。他那坦率、温暖的笑容和自信的模样让我不由地发怔。斯泰西轻轻地捅了我一下，说道：“嘿，米歇尔，你发什么呆，好像着魔了一样。”
我看着那英俊的家伙卷起他那宽松外套的衣袖。他桌边的同伴都全神贯注地望着他。我轻呼道；“哦！那正是我要嫁的男人。”“的确不错，”斯泰西说，“不过，还是快说说你在纽约打算住哪儿，要知道我们都打算等你工作定了去那儿看你。” 我回答着她的问题，目光却不由自主地移向那个神采飞扬的男人。