It was the weekend, so the clinic was closed. It was the first time in a long while that Elodie Gallagher felt like she could breathe. It had been difficult, to return after all that time, after the trials and tribulations of veterinary school… but it had been worth it. The town hadn’t changed, and she’d felt foolish for thinking that it would have. It still held its quaint charm, and many of the people she had grown up with were still around. They waved at her, hugged her like she’d only been away for a week much less the few years it had been by the time she’d graduated. She had come back because she’d always been in love with her hometown, even for some of the bittersweet memories it held.

Specifically, Kaz Ujohiri.

They were in the South, but that didn’t mean it was far enough into the year to be warm… at all. The blonde woman bundled herself up, pulling a tan sweater over her head that reached mid-thigh, then jeans and finally brown, knee-high boots. All the while, Tucker excitedly circled her feet. She shooed the German Shepherd away as she zipped up her footwear before moving and opening the door. The sable and black dog moved quickly to the equally black Jeep Cherokee, bouncing happily around the wheels. “Hold on,” the woman murmured, searching for the keys in her purse before unlocking the SUV and popping open the passenger door. 

“I’m leaving!” she called into the house, earning a quick bye and the strum of a guitar as she left.  She lived with her brother for the moment, as she was recovering from yet another break-up. Her relationship life had been a string of long-lived and painful stories, none of which seemed to ever work… no thanks to her commitment issues and sabotaging herself. 

A small smile tugged at Elodie’s lips as she watched the dog jumped in easily, sitting and looking expectantly as she travelled back to the driver’s side and slid into the car. She reached over to pull at the passenger door before starting the engine and backing out of the driveway. The drive to the general store had become a ritual, even though she’d tried to avoid it for a long time. It had only caused more hurt, though, to stay away. She’d been back in the area for a couple years and it no longer made her feel like she was suffocating, even though the field was large and anything but claustrophobic.  

It was a short drive, only ten minutes outside of the city limits, and Elodie pulled into her usual spot near the edge of the forest. Many of town’s younger inhabitants would come to the edge of the trees, partaking of the hiking trails the area had to offer, but that wasn’t her intention. Instead, when she let Tucker out of the car, he began to bound towards their normal area. Elodie smiled widely as she watched the dog race away, knowing that he would come back eventually. He was a good dog and, despite his large appearance, completely friendly. The animal wouldn’t even hurt a fly, even though that caused Elodie some discomfort initially. Instead of using the dog as a security system, as she’d planned, she had to spend the money on installing an electronic one in her house.

She heard a loud, excited bark and her brows furrowed, wide blue eyes now narrowed as she continued on her way to the large oak tree that held an old, rope-bound swing. Elodie saw a figure sitting there, the outline familiar but… it couldn’t be him. She hadn’t heard from Kaz in years. Trying to calm her quickly beating heart, the woman took a deep breath and continued towards the tree, wondering who was out here.  “It’s not a bad spot, huh?” she asked from behind, bracing her hands against her thighs as she climbed a slight hill. “I mean, not really.” The closer she got, the more of a familiar ache ran through her.

Her eyes ran over his broad shoulders, the almost shaggy outline of dark hair… “Kaz?” she asked, her voice full of shock and awe. There wasn’t any way it was him, not after all these years. And then he’d turned around, saying two simple words that sparked both anger and happiness in her. “Hi,” she said briefly, watching as Tucker jumped around the man and barked joyfully. “He’ll shut up if you get him a scratch,” Elodie said softly, still continuing towards Kaz. 

She had so many questions, the main one being why was he back? She’d learned awhile ago to filter her words before she allowed them out of her mouth, and she quickly snapped her lips shut before she said anything she would regret. “I would say it’s good to see you again…” she said, crossing her arms. But perhaps that wasn’t the right thing to say. Her light eyes moved over Kaz’s handsome features, determining he hadn’t changed too much since the last time she’d seen him. He’d grown into his looks, taller and seemingly more broad than so many years ago, but wasn’t that to be expected?

“It is. Good to see you again,” Elodie said after a moment, clearing her throat. “I never expected to see you back here.”

[@freedomliveson]