The bell above the door jingled and Dave looked over. It wasn’t her. Just two more couples looking for some Christmas Eve cheer. They saw some more twenty-somethings at a large table in the back and joined them, everyone hugging and wishing all a Merry Christmas.

“Hey, Chuck,” Dave said. “Send that table a round on me.”

Chuck nodded and poured some drinks. “Get you something else? Some food maybe?”

Dave had been nervous all day and just then realized he’d not had anything to eat. Turned out, he wasn’t really hungry then, either, but since he’d thrown a few back already he decided it might be a good idea to put a little food in his belly. He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be there or how many more drinks he’d have.

“Umm, sure, how about a medium cheeseburger. Some chips.”

“Sure thing. And your next drink’s on me.”

Dave raised his glass to Chuck and drained it. “Another one of these, too, when you get chance.”

Chuck smiled and got back to work.

Since noon, Dave had been nursing drink after drink, turning his attention to the door every time the bell jingled. There were no guarantees. He knew that. Eight years had passed. Seriously, how could he expect her to remember a pact they made, while drinking no less, eight years earlier? Well, he remembered. Maybe it just didn’t mean as much to her.

That Christmas Eve eight years ago they closed down Chuck’s place. They laughed, they cried, they reminisced about the good and the bad. She talked about what was in store for her and he talked about how happy he was for her. He wasn’t ready to say good-bye that night. Yet, not long after last call, they walked outside and paused on the sidewalk. They embraced in the falling snow. He felt her hold him tighter than she ever had before. His heart broke. She kissed him and then she was gone. For eight years.

She said she’d meet him back at Chuck’s on Christmas Eve in eight years when her studies were done. She would come back to him. He knew a lot had happened in the interim. She kept him up to date on her life the first couple of years, but as time elapsed and lives got more complicated the communications ceased. He never mentioned the meeting to her. He didn’t want her to feel obligated or, worse, lie to him about why she couldn’t. So he hoped she’d remember on her own.

His medium burger and chips came and went. The twenty-somethings came and went. Chuck announced last call.

“I’m sorry, buddy,” Chuck said.

“It’s okay. Just another lonely Christmas.”

Chuck patted Dave on the shoulder and picked up his empty glass.

Dave rose, grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and headed for the door.

“Merry Christmas, Chuck.”

Dave walked out the door. Snow fell again. The sidewalks, streets and cars covered. He pulled up his collar.

“Am I too late?”

Dave turned around and there she was, leaning against the building.

“Not at all,” he said.

She pushed away from the building and approached him.

“You look good,” she said.

She grabbed his hand.

“And I’m glad you waited.”

She hugged him. Tighter than ever before.