"He still loves you, I think. Loves you with the same intensity he did when you were my age."
"No, he doesn't. I don't think. Hell, what do I know, anymore?" She took a bite of waffle.
"I think so; I think he loves you still. He'd marry you if you gave him the inclination to ask."
Callie chuckled. "I don't really want to get married. Not because of him, I just don't want to get married. That's too much change for me."
"Why lose him twice?"
Callie looked at her sister. She stopped chewing.
"What?"
"I didn't lose him, T. I gave him away."
"Oh, ok." She looked down at her plate, ate the last bite of waffle.
"Well, I think a distinction should be made. It was choice, not some random act of chance. I didn't misplace him. I set him free, forced him to live with himself. I gave him up to the world. I hurt him, for the sake of himself. I know I hurt him. I don't deny it, and I don't want you to do that, either."
"I just meant, why not have him? You love him; I know you do. Why would you deny yourself happiness?"
"I am not denying myself anything. I don't want to rush into something that's forever with the wrong person?"
"So you're scared?"
"No, just hesitant, cautious."
"Sounds to me like you're scared. You're scared of your choices, because you made a bad one five years ago, and you don't want to admit you were wrong."
"Not admit I am wrong? Honey, we're dating. We are taking things slowly. He doesn't want to rush into it either."
"Or is he just going along with you? Is he just agreeing with you because he doesn't want you to run away like you did last time? Think about it, Cal. I make a whole lot of sense this time. You're terrified, and he is patient."
Callie ate her last piece of waffle.

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