Lights go up and focus on Rosemary, sitting in a café. She’s older, but her appearance makes her exact age a mystery. Her long grey hair is pinned back and she is writing in a withered journal like book. Fred, an older man walks in and orders a coffee and takes a seat across from her.

Fred
To ROSEMARY
That sure is an old journal.

Rosemary
Without looking up
If this journal is old, I must be ancient.

Fred
Grins
You haven’t aged a bit… (ROSEMARY ignored FRED and continues to write. SERVER walks up to ROSEMARY and hands her a coffee and muffin. ROSEMARY looks up and grins at SERVER, taking the food) Let me guess, mochacoffee with three shots of espresso and a coffee cake muffin.

Rosemary
Looks up at FRED shocked
Yes, but how did you know?

Fred
Your name isn’t Paprika May, is it?

Rosemary
Smiles and looks down at journal
No one has called me that in an offly long time (pauses)since (pauses, looks up at FRED who is now starring back at her with a warm grin. She begins to cry) No, it can’t be. Freddy?

Fred
Stands up and takes a step towards ROSEMARY
It sure has been a long time, Pap. But I knew I would see you some day, or at least I prayed every night I would run into you somewhere. (ROSEMARY stands up and they hug for a long time) Look at you, you’re still as beautiful as you were forty years ago (ROSEMARY blushes) not ancient at all.

Rosemary
Tries to catch her breath
But… how are you here? I thought you… (A single tear runs down her face)

Fred
Gently sits ROSEMARY down, and pulls up a seat beside her, holding both of her hands
I know and I truly am sorry. I’m sorry I left you to go to that horrible place. I’m sorry I left you all alone, and I am terribly sorry I didn’t come back for you. I asked about you, but your friends said you were happy, so I figured I wouldn’t bother you. Told them not to mention me. (Looks at journal) Now am I crazy, or does that journal look offly familiar?

Rosemary
Oh, this old thing? (Picks up book from lap with both hands and rubs it smoothly)
You remember this?

Fred
Of course I do. When we were ten years old, we spent the entire day making them. Back when we lived right next door to each other. Then one day, your parents decided to move to the other side of the city. Whenever one of us missed the other, we promised to write about it. Then when we were reunited, trade books for an entire day and just read.

Rosemary
Do you still have yours?

Fred
Of course I do. It was one of the few things I took with me to war, and actually returned with. And (pulls out aged journal bounded with ribbon from pocket) I carry it with me wherever I go. It’s kind of like a good luck charm.

Rosemary
Puts hand over her mouth and gasps
Oh Fred, I can’t believe after all these year! (Reaches for book) Do you mind?

Fred
Hesitates
Actually, I kind of do. Many years have gone by, Pap. And I always pictured in my head what I would say to you if(pauses) when we met again in the future. What you would look like, act like, smell like… I was kind of hoping you would be some old looking woman, and that I wouldn’t feel the same exact way I did when we were younger, but look at you. You’re breathtaking like you’ve always been, if not more so. If I let you read this, there’s no going back…

Rosemary
Calmly
Do you understand I thought I would never see you ever again? I waited forty years for a knock on the door. Forty long years for an answer. For closure. I put my entire life on hold just because I thought maybe, just maybe I would see you again. Maybe one day we would meet again, and I could tell you how much I’ve missed you. That I couldn’t picture myself with anyone else in this world but you, so I stayed to myself. Ignored all of the men who came my way, because I knew deep down inside that no matter who I was with, you would be the one that got away. The only man I’ve ever loved with everything I have. And after forty years of wondering, all I want is to know how you’ve felt during the hard times. I can’t even imagine all you’ve been through, but obviously something must still be there if you still carry it around. Now, if you truly meant what you just said, let me read just a few pages. We shared the same thoughts once upon a time, I just want to understand you again.

Fred
You’re always so calm.

Rosemary
You know what? Forget it. Once again, I’ve made a complete fool of myself, and I apologize. Now, if you would just leave me to my coffee, I will happily forget about you.

Fred
I’m sorry, but it seems like every time I get the chance, I lose my cool and I blow it. I just get all tongue tied, lost in your eyes. I’m a fool for leaving, and I know it. We could’ve been something, if I had really just told you how I felt, instead of keeping it in, writing in the journal you gave me. Hoping that some how, some way you would understand how horrible I feel for not returning. I should’ve showed you just how I feel, instead of always holding my breath and taking the easy way out.

Rosemary
I’m not gonna be here forever, Freddy. We’re both getting older, ya know.

Fred
Holds both of ROSEMARY’s hands
I love you.

Rosemary
Stop, you’re just saying that to make me feel better. It’s okay, I’m a woman. I’m no fool to heartbreak, Freddy. In this life we all know, friends may come and they may go.

Fred
Grins
Pap, I love you.

Rosemary
Please, stop… (FRED hands ROSEMARY the journal. ROSEMARY flips to a page near the back, and begins to read. A tear runs down her face as she turns the page. A few minutes go bye, and ROSEMARY finally flips through the journal to the last page where a drawing of a diamond ring and the words “Look up” resides. ROSEMARY’s big brown eyes leave the paper and she turns to FRED)

Light dims to black.