When We Were 19, My Best Friend and I Promised That If We Were Both Single at 60, We’d Find Each Other – I Turned 60 Last Tuesday, & My Old Landline Rang

“Yes.”

Peter paused.

“My father wants to speak with you. He… doesn’t have much time.”

My hand tightened around the receiver.

Before I could answer, I heard movement. Then a weak voice came through the phone.

“Ruthie.”

Tears sprang to my eyes.

Then came a small, weak laugh.

“Jeffrey? You remembered.”

“Of course, I remembered every birthday.”

I covered my mouth.

Forty-one years disappeared in one sentence.

Then his voice broke.

I closed my eyes.

“What?”

“I was in love with you when we made that promise.”

I couldn’t move.

“Jeffrey…”

“And I’d already bought the ring.”

My eyes opened.

“What ring?”

“The one I was going to give you before I left for college.”

The room seemed to tilt. I stood up.

“Then why did you marry someone else?”