Moving On

Michael Reinhardt steps into the Cedar Park Cemetery and heads straight for the cement coffin of Harley Bell. For a few minutes, he tends the grave, making sure that it is neat. Then he kneels in the grass and sighs. "Meine liebe." he begins, reaching out to tenderly touch the concrete. "I miss you so much .... you know I moved here to be closer to your memory. I visit this old man who saw you vanish. SO .. I know you are ... somewhere. But, I don't know where!" he swallows his frustration. "I will keep searching. And I hope that, wherever you are you are healthy and happy." he pauses. "But something has happened, Harley. Something that has completely taken me by surprise." he pauses for a long time. "Har ... I've fallen in love." he barks a small laugh. "With a WOMAN! Can you believe it?" he pauses a few more seconds. "I didn't understand it at first. She was only supposed to be a beard. You know. But I realized ... I felt about her the way I felt about you when you were here." he blows out a breath and sighs. "You were my first love .. but so is she? How does that WORK, Har? You were the brains of what we were." he reaches out to stroke the cold concrete. "But ... I am going to tell her, Harley. That I love her. Maybe I am being stupid, but ... I'm going to tell her. This Saturday." he blows out a breath. "What am I going to do if she just smiles and laughs and tells me I'm a great fuck and all, but ... that's all I am to her. Eye candy. The beards beard." he sighs. "I'm even afraid of rejection, like I was with you." he pats the coffin. "I'm not saying 'Goodbye', Har. No way will you be forgotten. But I wanted to let you know ... it's time for me to move on. I didn't think I COULD love again, so this ... it s doubly beautiful and special and ... surprising for me." he clears his throat, gruffly. "Please ... please be happy for me, Harley. Because I'm HAPPY. For the first time since you ... vanished ... I'm deliriously happy. And my relationship with Stephanie has been full of pits lately." he blows out a breath. "But ... yea ...." he stands. "It's time for me to move on ... thank you for what you helped make me, Harley. I'll never forget it ... or you." he turns then and begins to walk away, brushing a tear away as he does.