I stepped away from Tony and walked off the stage. I heard him say a few rapid apologies and ran to catch up with me.
“Excuse me,” he lightly tapped on my shoulder.
“Yes, Anthony?”
“I…I want to talk with you more. Can we sit and talk?”
“I’ll be here,” I whispered.
“Thank you,” he replied and went back to the others waiting in line. I walked in the direction of where Dan went.
The fear I had when I walked onto the stage did not vanish into the din of music and loud crowds. I weaved through the sea until I met up with Dan. He was standing to the side of the other members of the chess club.

“Keri, did you get to meet Mr. Spock?”
“No, but I did meet up with someone. We’re going to talk a bit.”
Dan’s expression drooped as he escorted me away from the others. “You talked to Tony?”
“Yes.”
“Did he recognize you?” Dan asked as he glanced out towards the stage area.
“No, not really.”
“Why do you want to talk to him?’
“Just trying to be friendly.”
“Well, I doubt he’d start anything. Too many cameras.”
I nodded as I saw him Tony step off.
“Do you want me to accompany you?” Dan asked as he held his hand out.
“I’ll be fine. Can we meet up afterwards?”
Dan’s eyes lit up. He had a smart-aleck quip to give but he stopped short of saying anything.
“Don’t listen to any of niceness. Leopards don’t change their spots.”
We both looked to see Anna meet up with Tony again.
“It’s going to be that lunchroom scene all over again,” Dan whispered as Anna’s voice rose above the music.
The chess club guys walked over to us to get a better view of the fireworks.
“I waited for you; and you never tried to contact me!”
Tony nodded.
“Say something to me! Tell me something!”
“I’m better now,” he replied and stepped away.

Anna screamed and lunged at Tony, only to be abruptly detained by three burly men in black suits. They looked like that needed a fourth as Anna fought them tooth and nail. Her shouting faded into the music as the men carried her away.
“All that’s missing is a thrown milk carton,” Marty commented to anyone who remembered that day. We all collectively nodded.
“I didn’t know he had a security detail. They’re good and they better be since we’re paying their salary.” Tom said and whistled.
“I’ll meet back here with you, okay, Dan?”
“Of course. Still not sure why you’d want to talk to him. Going to get your money back?”
I shook my head and took a step in Tony’s direction. He stood next to a table and pulled out a chair for me.
“Thank you,” I replied as I sat down.
Tony sat down in a chair across the table and tapped his fingers on the table. “So, how do we know other?”
“You need to answer my question first.”
“Do I love us?”
“Yes.”
“I only said that to one person.”
“I know,” I replied with a slight nod. “What was his name?”
Tony shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Listen, I’m not going to talk about rumors and stories that happened in the past.”
“It’s a reunion, Tony. It’s all about the past. I’m not here to do a ‘gotcha’ interview. I just want to know. You left me and all I got was a phone call to remember you by.”
“Hello, Chris,” he replied with saddened expression.
“You remember.”
“I knew who you were when you walked onto the stage.”
“I’m still not worthy to be seen with you in the hallways?”
“Don’t talk like that,” he replied and then sighed. “Those days were hard for me.”
“For both of us.”
“Yes. I overcame my feelings and my illness.”
“What illness?”
“My parents helped me to straighten my life out. I survived through trauma to come out the man I am now.”
“The man you are now?”
“I’m married to a wonderful woman.”
The verbal equivalency of steely knives stabbed my heart.
“And she helped me with my sickness.”
“Sickness?” I said through gritted teeth.
“You can be helped too. You can always return to a pure life. I’m sorry if I drove you further down.”
“Pure life? What are you insinuating?”
“It wasn’t right. It wasn’t natural and the heaviness I once felt is now gone.”
I looked down at the table and begged myself not to cry. I wanted to cry tears of happiness, a fountain of reunited love as Tony would finally sweep me off my feet.
“Are you okay?”
“No. You’re not my Tony.”
“That Tony was a mistake and I’ve grown past him.”
“Did you just stop dreaming about me?”
Tony looked to the table and then nodded.
I stood up and slammed my hands on the table. Then, even though I knew it could end up with me spending the remainder of the weekend in a King County jail cell, I slapped Tony across the face.
Another set of burly men zipped up next to me, but Tony waved them off.
“Yes, wave them off, wave the one who cared about you off too, Mr. Kedias.”
“Chris…”
“It’s Keri,” I replied through gritted and walked away.
Dan met me halfway and placed his hands on my shoulders.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing. It looked like you were about to kick Tony’s ass.”
“That’s not the Tony I remember.”
Dan nodded but his facial expression showed he was clueless.
“I think I’m going back to my room,” I replied as I took one last look at Tony.
“Did you love him?”
I nodded.
“I’m sorry, Keri. I wish there was something I could do make you feel better.”
“He’s just a memory now.”
“You need to make some new memories,” Dan said as he hugged me, “and the guys have a great idea.”
“What?”
“Laser tag!” Dan exclaimed as he took hold of right hand.
“In this dress?”
“It will be a great story for your next board meeting or whatever it you do at work.”
“Thank you, Dan.”
“You’re welcome, Keri. You know, Powell is a great last name.”