These characters do not belong to me, I am just borrowing them for a bit. (Since no one is
using them right now<g>)

Note: The flashback in this story takes place some time after the flashback of “Partners of
the Month” (maybe 1700s-1800s)

Memories  (Listen to the song)
by Amanda Berendt
Copyright 2003
--------------------------

    Nick sat at the small table in the corner of the restaurant by the window, gazing
past the rain streaming down the glass.  His thoughts were far away from the time and
place where he now sat.

               *Watching the rainfall in Vienna
                  Pictures of another time*

    Years ago, he had sat in a corner of a tiny restaurant just like this one, watching a
cloaked figure run through the rain across the courtyard.  Entering the door to the
establishment, the figure elegantly pushed back the hood of the cloak, revealing a striking
young woman with raven black hair.  She looked around briefly, then smiled sadly when
her gaze met his.

               *From the corner of a small cafe
                 We watched the world go by*

    She approached the table where he sat.  He rose to take her cloak, then held the
chair as she sat down.
    “It has been many years, Nicola.” she said quietly as he resumed his seat across the
table from her.
    “Yes, Janette.... too many.” he replied, turning once more toward the window.

               *Now we sit here the best of strangers
                We played the game for all it’s worth*

    She touched his hand that rested on the table and he turned to face her again.
    “We did not part on friendly terms.” she said softly meeting his eyes again. “It was
not a fit ending to those years we spent.”

               *Endless nights in Vienna’s eyes
                 Take me back again
                 ‘Cause in Vienna - we were poetry
                 Yes in Vienna - love was alive*

    “Nicola,” she continued, taking his hand in hers. “I did not mean to hurt you.  I
was not used to that much affection - to the depth of your love... it scared me.”
    “Would you have rather not stayed for as long as you did?” he asked her, a bit
more biting that he should have.
    Accepting his tone she answered “Of course not.  I cherished the years we had
together and I do hope someday we will be together again.”

               *Watching you watching me
                 All that our eyes could see
                 All of the nights
                 We chased into the dawn
                 It was the best time of my life*

    The hours passed and no one took much notice of the young man and woman
sitting in the corner speaking of times long past.
    Then much too quickly for Nicholas, Janette turned toward the window.  “I must
go, it will be dawn soon.” she said with obvious regret.
    As she stood, Nicholas held fast to her hand.  “Spend the day here... with me.”
    “I am sorry, love.  I am not ready yet.  But someday, we will be together again.”
She wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and smiled.

               *We can’t surrender to a feeling
                  That dance belongs to yesterday*

    Their hands touched for another, all too brief moment, then parted.  She moved to
the door, raised the hood of the cloak over her hair and stepped out into the rain.
    Nicholas returned to his chair and gazed out at the figure retreating across the
empty courtyard.

               *Yes I still hear Vienna’s song
                  Take me back again*

--End--