Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
She’s on the move again. Finished with her call, Meredith continues her morning walk. Left, then left, back up for six blocks before the final turn. When she rounds the corner, returning to her block, I wait, staying a good distance behind. Another dog on a leash approaches and the two animals can’t resist—they jump all over each other, even as their owners try to get them to stop. They play, standing on hind legs with open mouths and swatting each other in the face. Meredith is too busy trying to gain control of her dog to notice something fall to the ground. But I’m not.
A few minutes later, the dogs are finally separated, and Meredith walks the last quarter block to her house and goes inside. It’s Tuesday, so it’ll be another hour or so before she comes out to head to class. I have school myself today, so I can’t stay, but I am curious about what she left behind on the ground. So I pull my hoodie up and over my hat, bringing it forward as much as I can to shield the sides of my face, and jog across the street.
A small silver charm gleams in the sunlight. It’s shaped like a bone, a dog tag that broke free of the collar. I lean down and scoop it up for a closer look. But as I do, the dollar bills I have tucked in the pocket of my hoodie slip out. I catch all but one that the wind steals, and the lone bill goes tumbling down the street with dirt and sand and everything else in the path of the brewing storm. I let it go, more interested in seeing what little treat Meredith has left behind for me than in chasing a dollar. Nothing is on the front of the tag, but I flip it over to the other side and my heart stops when I read the name engraved.
Romeo.
She named her dog Romeo.
From Shakespeare.
The subject I teach…
Is that a coincidence?
I want to believe it’s not, that Meredith still thinks about me. Or maybe she doesn’t, but it’s a sign. A sign I should keep waiting.
Waiting for you.
I fold the tag into my palm with a smile and start to walk away. But a voice from behind me catches my attention.
“Sir!”
I turn.
The man holds something out. “I think you dropped this.” He smiles. “I thought it was Monopoly money at first. But it’s a baht, right?”
“Yes, it is.”
“I went to Thailand on my honeymoon. That’s why I recognized the currency. Beautiful country. Did you just get back?”
I shake my head. “Leave next week.”
“If you’re going with someone, check out Koh Yao Noi. Gorgeous beaches. Secluded. They do these candlelight dinners on the sand. It was my wife’s favorite part of the trip.”
I smile. “Thanks for the tip. I was supposed to take someone, a reward for a job well done. But as it turns out, she won’t be able to make it, so I’ll be going alone.”