“Buffet style pizza? Really? Do you ever grow up?” I roll my eyes at my brother as I step out of his car and survey his new favorite eating establishment.
“You know how Mark and Jim are. This way everyone gets what they want and it just keeps coming.”
“What about Sally?” I reference our health fanatic of a sister.
“They have a salad bar, so she can eat like a rabbit.” He wrinkles up his nose and nibbles delicately at the air.
We both giggle. I turn toward the door, looking for my sister and brothers. My eyes light on a familiar face. I pause trying to place it.
“Hey, Eli.” My brother makes a salute at the newcomer as he steps closer to me and puts a bracing hand on my shoulder.
I shake him off and picture dark curls spilling over the now bald pate of the man before me. He offers me a slow grin and opens his mouth. Before he can offer whatever insult or back-handed threat is about to cross his lips I step forward and unload emotions that have been pent up for the past couple of years following graduation.
“Eli Smith, I can’t believe you are still around. Shouldn’t you be in prison somewhere? Or at least hiding from the law and other decent folks. But since you are, I think you owe me about a thousand dollars after inflation…” I finish lamely, feeling my cheeks flush as the anger dissipates and I question the wisdom of verbally attacking a hulking man who used to torture me when we were children so he could steal my lunch money.
“Oh, Ellen, I knew I’d see you again someday.” He grins and leans down to wrap his arms around my waist and lift me easily from the ground.
I squeal and begin batting his broad shoulders with my clenched fists as he swings me around like an over-sized rag doll. “Put me down. What do you think you’re doing?”
He laughs. “I want to apologize for how I treated you as a kid, but I didn’t think you’d stand still for it, so here we are.”
I stop squirming, lifting a questioning eyebrow. “Apologize?”
“Of course. I don’t have a thousand dollars on me though.”
“We can revisit that after the apology…” I stretch out the last word as he gently lowers me to the ground.
He raises his hand up to anxiously brush his shiny dome. He sees my eyes trace the movement and grins again, lowering his eyes to the ground as he begins to speak. “Maybe nature is punishing me a little for a what a turd I was when we were kids.”
I open my mouth to make a comment but my brother grabs my elbow and pulls me back a step, so Eli’s words flow uninterrupted, “I really am sorry for how I treated you, Ellen. I tried to get your phone number, but no one would give it to me.” He raises his hand as I open my mouth again, “And I completely agree with their decision not to. I mean, I really was horrible to you.”
“I agree.”
“And though I can’t go back in time and be a better person, I hope that if you ever need anything, you know that I owe you and I’d be honored to pay off that debt.”
My heart softens as I notice tears welling in his eyes. “At least a thousand dollars.” I allow my lips to quirk upward in an awkward smile.
“If that is what you need,” he opens his wallet and starts counting the bills inside, “I can make a down payment.”
“How about if you just be a good person from now on?” I say.
“That’s the goal.” He grins at me. “Would you like to join me for worship services tonight?”
I blink and look at my brother who shrugs, so I say, “Maybe next time. Let’s take this slow.”
He blushes. “Sorry. I just wanted you to see how I have changed.”
“I believe you. It’s just…”
“Sudden. Yeah. Got that.” He holds up his hands appeasingly as he backs away from me. “I better just grab my pizza and head home. Nice to see you, Ellen. John.” He nods to my brother. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do.” John says as he takes my arm and leans in to whisper in my ear. “While you process, let’s find a table, alright?”
I nod numbly, watching my nemesis walk away.
~Isn’t this the perfect season to forget old grudges. I doubt many of us will get an apology from people who hurt us. Honestly, they probably didn’t realize how their choices or jokes or even malicious actions hurt us. But isn’t it better to forgive and move on than to let them keep dragging you through the mud. Who needs mud when you could have hot cocoa?~
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