The First Meeting

Michael was happy to see me! He gave me his cell number and told me we needed to get together. The next day we texted a bit, just catching up on old times. For a week we continued to catch up via text messages and I learned that the two boys that had been at the store with him were his sons. He had custody of them and had them every other day.  I thought this was an unusual custody arrangement at the time but now I understand it.
We talked about getting together and I suggested that we hang out on Friday.  He agreed and so that was the plan.

Friday came and it was my usual day of running errands but once all of that was done I came home to clean up and get ready to go hang out with Michael as we had planned earlier in the week, since he didn't have his kids. Evening came about the time we were supposed to meet and nothing. An hour later I texted him and he said he was running late and would call me back.  Then nothing again.  I was irritated so I called it a day and started reading Gone, the book I had been reading at that time.

Around 9ish that night he texted apologized and asked if we could see each other the next day.  I agreed.
The next day came and evening arrived and I called asking when he wanted to get together. He said now and we agreed to meet at his house.  I went over and it was nice seeing an old friend. We laughed and played with his boys and it was a nice evening.  I came home happy I had stepped outside of my normal comfort zone and  re connected with an old friend.  He had not changed a bit and it was nice. It wasn't until 2 months later that I discovered he had purposely not met with me that Friday night because he was scared of the possibilities.