---

The Hue from Shore - Part 7 in a series

Urp.

She said, "Tim." at once acknowledging him and sweeping aside his unconvincing coyness. They talked. The conversation enjoyed a quick escalation from the standard series of re-introductory reunion questions to a deeper discussion about family, career and the growth experienced in the last two decades.
Her marriage had ended six years ago. She was now living with Rob Walson, who was the last guy that Tim knew about her dating when he'd last gotten any third party updates about her, almost ten years ago. Mindy related that her relationship with Rob had been had been on and off, tumultuously so, involving his stored-up anger and attendant screaming matches. She said that they'd split up and reunited several times, but things were better now. She felt that this time he was committed to treating her right, and that he was now really listening.


She and Rob were planning to be married. Tim had let some shred of hope creep in in the sentences between the breakup of her first marriage and this announcement. The shred of hope fluttered away in the breeze of her news. Mindy said that they'd probably marry sometime next year. She had a resignation about it that made Tim think that maybe she knew there was a good chance that the problems would continue.


They continued to talk for a while, and it was strange how they seemed to talk deeper and more freely than they ever had years ago. They talked about some of their respective struggles in high school, though Tim never touched on his interest in her. Tim was impressed with the work she'd done in inner cities in the last few years, and the way she spoke about her nieces and nephews. Time flew.


Tim was getting the feeling that it was time to circulate around, though he got that feeling from inside himself rather than from any of her signals. Tim didn't know what to say at this point, so he said: "I'd say let's keep in touch, but with you getting married and all, it might be best not to..." She replied as he trailed off: "Yes. Thanks a lot. Thanks for saying that."


Tim had barely finished his intended concluding remark, when a slow song began to play. It was "Lost in Love" by Air Supply. He was thinking to himself for a moment about what year the song was from, when Mindy spoke up again.


"Dance with me, Timothy."


...to be continued