Art can see the memories so clearly in his mind, sunny afternoons, buying you flowers, hiding away from the world with you in his 20s. Travelling the world with you on tour, all the places you'd been. He knows now, there's no one as perfect for him as you. But, that's the issue. He lost you, along the way, memories that he now drowns in bottles of red wine. Now that he can drink them, since he doesn't have to follow his diet anymore.

It's hit him worse, since he retired, since Tashi left. He thought it was just the pain of losing her, that reminded him of losing you. But that wasn't the case, he just never processed losing you, not properly, until now. He pays for it more now, than he did back then. Lily is the only thing in his life currently that brings him any joy. Sometimes he thinks, maybe he should have just kept playing tennis.

"Give me something old and red," Art mutters to the bartender, as he takes a seat at the bar of the Ritz. A day of commentary on the tennis channel, he barely lasted six months of retirement before he rejoined the tennis world. Turns out, his only skill in life was hitting a ball with a racket, oh, and talking about those who do. The glass of red is placed in front of him, as his mind fills with you, again.

He knows he's going to regret this, a thirty-five year old, divorced, father, texting his ex. His ex from ten years ago. Do you even have the same phone number? God, he hopes so. He can't even blame it on the alcohol, he hasn't even taken a sip yet. Yet, he's pressing send on the message before he can turn back.

Hey. It's Art. I know it's been a while. A long while. But, I was thinking about you and wondering how you were, so. How are you?