Day 79: Tales Of Urban Detectives And Resurfacing Past Flings

Day 79 Of How To Move On From A Man — 1LD

Apr 24, 2023

The towering urban edifice in front of 120 Collins St appeared larger than the last time I laid eyes on it.

It wasn’t as if there were additional levels. It wasn’t like it was actually bigger.

But now I knew my business partner and best friend was contemplating this space for our business, the grandeur and importance of this place was undeniably overwhelming.

How was our humble, infant business big enough to move into the city already?

Talk about imposter syndrome. Not to mention friendship deception.

Everything was wrong, and the longer I stared at the building, the more this feeling cemented itself.

I looked up and attempted to count the floors. I couldn’t remember what number the floor James had earmarked, but I knew it was high.

Looking down at the street, I watched as parades of men and women in tailored suits sashayed up and down the cement catwalk. The grandeur of the Paris end of the Melbourne CBD didn’t seem to affect their stride. If they felt intimidated by the enormity of their place in this city, you wouldn’t know it.

As the crowds moved past me, I felt a presence that wouldn’t shift. A man, towering over me, standing by my side. I looked at him, and he was staring up at the building I once had my gaze fixed on.

“Yeah, that’s a building, Andie. No doubt about it.”

“Alex Martens, what are you doing here?”

I quickly wrapped my arms around the torso of my old friend. His aftershave hadn’t changed. His muscular frame felt similar under the touch, only a little softer. It had been fifteen years, after all.

We were all a little softer in places, and far wiser too.

He looked down at me and reciprocated my hold. “I’m all the better for seeing you, Andie. You look amazing. You still have it, sugar.”

He was dressed in what could only be a Hugo Boss suit. Quite a change from the striped sweatpants he used to wear to uni on the daily.

“Do you work here?”

I pointed at 120 Collins and he nodded.

“Stockbroker. Just came back from a client lunch.” He patted the button of his vest, only just visible between the gap in his suit jacket.

“What are you doing here? I thought you worked from home or something.”

“Oh, so you’ve been stalking my Instagram, have you?” Alex laughed, throwing his blonde tendrils behind his ears. “I’ve been keeping tabs, you could say that.”

I put my hand on his arm. “Well, there’s more to it than that. Do you have time?”

Day 79: Tales Of Urban Detectives And Resurfacing Past Flings

Day 79 Of How To Move On From A Man — 1LD

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