Chapter 19 They Drove on Familiar Streets
The closed car and the familiar environment were reminiscent of the past. Timothy, a forty-two-year-old man, glanced at Queenie with tenderness in his eyes.
Queenie sat in the car, staring blankly at the scenery outside. The city where she had grown up was now full of tall buildings, making it somewhat unrecognizable. But when the car drove into the old town, she became cheerful. Most of the landmark buildings, shopping malls, and schools were still in their original locations.
Queenie looked at them and said in surprise, "Oh, isn't this a department store? Why is there no one?"
Twenty-three years ago, this place was the most prosperous in town. Only very rich people could afford the clothes in this shopping mall.
"There is no parking lot in this building. There are now six or seven large shopping malls in Hallyreign. No one has come here for a long time, and there are no merchants." Leon glanced out the window and said, "This place is next to the old city center. The cost of demolition and relocation of the city center is too high, and there is no way to renovate it, so it can only decline."
"Oh, I see!" Queenie looked sorry.
Leon glanced at her in the rear-view mirror and put a smile on his serious face, which made him soften a lot. He said softly, "This place has changed a lot. If I put you here, you probably won't be able to find your way home."
"You're kidding! How could I not even find my way home?" Queenie said in disapproval.
"I'll let you drive after dinner and see if you can get home yourself." Leon laughed. "No problem." Queenie lifted her chin confidently.
Timothy just sat on the side and watched her with a smile without saying a word. The whole class knew that Queenie had a poor sense of direction. She could only walk in a straight line and always circled the same place repeatedly. He remembered when he and her first shared an apartment, she had always gotten off the bus and couldn't find the community where she lived. She would walk around the community and couldn't find the door. Every time she would end up calling him and asking him to pick her up. When he asked her where she was, she would say that she was under a billboard. Every time he went out to find her, she wouldn't stay in a fixed place, and she would keep calling while continuing to go around. He could only go around and look for her. Every time he was so angry that he wanted to smash his phone.
Once it was raining heavily, and she couldn't find the community again after working overtime. So she went round and round on the road. He went out to look for her again, but couldn't find her. It was raining so heavily that he could only take a taxi to look for her around the community. In the end, he found her not far from the back door of the community. After finding her, he was so speechless that he didn't even want to talk to her. She was also very embarrassed and didn't want to admit that she had made such a stupid mistake. She murmured behind him, "Timothy, I think there's something wrong with our community. I just couldn't find the door."
He couldn't help laughing when he heard this. She immediately got closer to him as soon as he laughed, "Timothy, Timothy, are you angry? Don't they say that boys like stupid girls? Do you like me when I'm so stupid?"
Timothy said angrily, "I don't."
"No, please like me, because I'm so cute. Can I give you a massage when we get home? Huh? I promise you will feel very comfortable." She threw herself into his arms while begging and groping him. It was itchy, so he could only hold her hand tightly and said, "Stop messing around. It's outside!"
"Well, why are you so cute, Timmi?" Queenie wrapped her arms around his waist tightly like an octopus and followed behind. Holding an umbrella and protecting her in his arms, he rubbed the top of her head with his cheek and his heart felt soft.
Later, he picked her up at the bus stop after she got off work every day on time. Queenie once asked him if he found it annoying to pick her up every day. He sneered and said, "It's annoying, but it's better than walking around the community looking for you."
She protested when he laughed at her. But what he didn't tell her was that he didn't find it annoying. Every time he watched her jump off the bus, throw herself into his arms with a big smile on her face, and hold him for a long time, he felt very happy, as if he had been waiting for this moment and this hug every day.
When Timothy came to his sense, he saw that the car had already arrived at the gate of the restaurant. Everyone surrounded Queenie and they walked into the private room. Queenie walked forward and turned to look for Timothy, waving her hand to signal him to go faster. Timothy smiled. When he was about to walk over, Leon handed him a cigarette and motioned him to take it. Timothy didn't refuse and took it. He turned around and walked with Leon to the ventilation place at the entrance of the restaurant. Then he lit the cigarette with the lighter in Leon's hand, and the two men stood there smoking silently.
After a long time, Leon suddenly said, "She hasn't changed at all." "Yeah, she hasn't changed." Timothy lowered his head and smoked his cigarette. "We're all getting old." Leon laughed. "Well, we're an old man now." Timothy laughed too.
The two looked at each other and smiled. Leon puffed at his cigarette and asked, "What are you going to do in the future?"
Timothy was silent for a while, and said in confusion, "I don't know. I haven't thought about it. It was quite sudden." "It was indeed quite sudden. It was like when a man suddenly hits the jackpot, he'll find it unbelievable and doesn't know how to spend the money." Leon said. "Yeah, that's exactly how it feels." Timothy chuckled.
Leon snuffed out the cigarette in his hand and said, "Anyway, it's a good thing." "Of course, it's a good thing." Timothy said softly, "It's a great thing." "Well, take good care of her." Leon patted him on his shoulder. "I will." Timothy nodded slightly.
Leon said nothing, turned, and walked into the restaurant. There was something he didn't know how to say, and he felt it unnecessary to say it now. When he received a call from Timothy yesterday, he was also greatly shocked. Queenie was also someone that he could not forget. Even if he was already married now, he would still be touched when he heard her name.
When he was young, what he regretted most was falling in love with a girl when he didn't understand what love was. But when he understood, she already had Timothy by her side. He didn't even have a chance to confess his love, and he could only bless them.
But before he could sort out his feelings and forget this regret, she disappeared. Such a girl was unforgettable.
Sometimes he would compare himself with Timothy, and he found it hard to just let go. He felt that what he lacked was an opportunity. If he had also been admitted to a university in Buena City, Queenie might have been his girlfriend. But later he realized that even if he was given a chance and the same distance, he would never have beaten Timothy because Timothy was a man much better than him. If the same thing had happened to him, he might have given up long ago.
After so many years, he had to admit that he was not as good as Timothy. He was not as affectionate, persistent, or enthusiastic as Timothy.
Before they got to the door of the private room, the two of them heard the noise inside. Leon had already ordered the food and drinks when they left the high-speed rail station. Now there was a table full of food, but no one ate it. The four women were holding hands and talking affectionately about everyone's changes over the years. The men interrupted from time to time. Queenie smiled happily, "God, I still can't accept how much you have changed. I feel I just saw you a few days ago, and you were only in your twenties. In the blink of an eye, your son is almost twenty years old!"
"Haha! Yes. If you can't get along with Timothy, you can be my daughter-in-law. My son doesn't mind an older wife."
"Damn you! Don't you feel shameful to say this?"
"Haha! If Queenie became your daughter-in-law, then your son would be too pitiful. Haven't you seen Timothy being bullied by her every day?"
"Don't talk nonsense. He's always bullied me!" "Well, don't lie to us!" "When we were in high school, you always asked Timothy to do your homework. Do you think we didn't know?!" "Right! Timothy did all your work when you were on duty."
"Yes, that's right. You told us that you were only classmates studying together, and it was a pure friendship between you." "Haha! What a lie!"
"It's been so many years. Why are you still talking about it? We were only classmates in high school. I was super simple and innocent. I only focused on learning, and I had no interest in Timothy!"
"Okay, you're just lying to yourself."
"Why are you talking about me? Mona, when you were caught writing a love letter to the boy in the class next to ours, I was the one who took the blame! I was punished by the teacher to be on duty for a month!"
"Ouch, is it a dirty history revealing conference now?" "Okay, okay, let's eat first. We'll have a few drinks today!"
They were all seated. They filled their glasses with wine and raised their glasses. Leon stood up and said, "Let's make a toast to Quira together. Queenie... so nice to see you again."
Leon's eyes were a little red and her other childhood friends also laughed with tears in their eyes. They said in unison, "Queenie, welcome home!"
Queenie was crying with her glass of wine. Timothy stood beside her and stroked her head vigorously. They drank a glass of wine together, and the party went on in a lively manner until sunset. At the end of the party, Mona hugged Queenie and burst into tears, and kept saying, "Quira, Quira, I'm so glad you are back. You have no idea how pitiful Timothy has been for so many years."
"Fortunately, you came back to accompany him." "This time you two have to be together." "You are the only couple in our class!" "Please be happy together, OK? Treat him well, OK?"
Queenie nodded vigorously, "I know, I know. I will."
"Quira, you didn't come to my wedding when I first got married. You didn't come to my wedding when I remarried. I was so sad, you know? You're my best friend, the best! I missed you so much, and there was so much I want to tell you. I missed you every time I was sad. I need you to listen to my nagging and help me choose men. It was really hard when I had to make decisions without you. "
"Don't cry. I'm back now. I'm here and I will listen to whatever you want to say." Queenie gently comforted Monica while wiping the tears from her face.
Monica had not been happy these years. Her marriage had failed twice, and she was living in her parent's house with her child. In her heart, she had spent the happiest and best time in her life with Queenie. After Queenie had disappeared, she felt so sad because Queenie was her best friend.
When she learned Queenie was back, she was really happy. She hadn't been so happy in a long time. She cried for her sufferings in these years, and also for what her dear friend had gone through. She felt that it was finally over now, and their life would get better.
"Okay, okay, it's getting late. Quira has something to do tomorrow. Everyone, it's time to say goodbye for now. There will be many opportunities for us to get together in the future." Leon said.
They all gathered themselves up and called designated drivers to send all other drunken friends home one by one. Timothy and Queenie also took the room card and walked to the hotel they had booked.
The hotel was very close to the restaurant. It only took three minutes for them to walk over.
Timothy rejected Leon's offer to send them over and walked forward with Queenie, who was drunken and red-eyed. She hadn't recovered from the party yet, thinking about those friends at the party and how many things had happened to them over the years that she didn't know. Some of them had been smoothed out by time, and some had been worn away by time. But in her eyes, their hearts and feelings for her were still the same as before. They shared a lot of memories and topics, and it seemed that they had instantly returned to the familiar environment with familiar friends. This world was no longer unfamiliar and disturbing to her.
All of this had been arranged by Timothy, which dispelled her sadness when she was going to go to visit the grave of her parents. She was not so afraid, and she found it easier to accept the passage of time.
Oh, Timothy...
Queenie couldn't help but quickly step forward and hug Timothy. She said softly behind him, "Timothy, thank you!"
"Are you thanking me again?" He asked softly, "What's there to thank me for?" "Everything." Queenie said softly, " I will grateful for everything about you."
Timothy lowered his head and looked at her hands around his waist. His eyes slowly turned red, and his eyes were sore that he gritted his teeth hard. He raised his head, held her hands with both hands, closed his eyes, and whispered in his heart, "Me too."
He was grateful for everything about her, including her love for him.
He was grateful that she was back after he had waited for her for so long. He was also grateful for everything she had given him.