Mavis is a woman who was recently involved in a passionate love affair with a person she believed to be her best friend. She and Raoul just happened to be sitting on the same bench at the Hoboken train station. At first they did not notice each other. Mavis was reading a letter from her sister. Raoul was reviewing his proposal for a prospective client. It was not until the sun came out from behind the clouds for a moment that something shiny caught his eye. It was the beautiful golden rose pin that Mavis was wearing. He complimented her on the pin and told her that it reminded him of the beautiful rose garden that his mother had when he was growing up. She told him the pin had special meaning for her as well. It was a gift from her mother that reminded Mavis of her favorite past time, which happened to be working in her rose and vegetable garden. They began talking about gardens and gardening. Raoul was immediately attracted to the sweetness of her demeanor. She couldn't help but notice the definite spark to his personality.
Five days a week, Raoul and Mavis took the train to reach their places of employment. Mavis was a secretary for a small construction company. Raoul was a sharp advertising executive. Many of his colleagues referred to him as a rising star.î Five days a week they looked forward to seeing each other. One Friday morning, Raoul decided to cross the line and ask Mavis to meet him at the train station at six o'clock the following evening. She politely accepted, but she was secretly jubilant on the inside.
Six o'clock Saturday evening arrived, still warm and sunny. Mavis looked cool and sophisticated in her crisp, white dress, and Raoul looked handsome as ever. Later that evening as they walked back to the train station, he reached for her hand. When they reached the station, he paused for a moment and took her into his arms for the first time and looked deeply into her eyes. He felt as if he never wanted to let go of her.
There was no crossing back for Mavis and Raoul. She let him into her her world and he let her into his. They often greeted each other at the train station with flowers and kisses. They shared their minds as well as their bodies. They truly were the best of friends. Their relationship continued in this fashion for ten months.
One day, Raoul suddenly told Mavis that he was offered an exciting promotion with a significant raise in pay. She was excited for him, until she found out that the position was with a prestigious sister company, which was located in another state. She was hoping that Raoul would ask her to go with him. He did not. When she sought an answer in his eyes, she did not see that familiar eternal longing to which she had become so accustomed. Raoul apparently felt that the relationship had run it's course,and he was excited about starting a new life. He did not actually say this to her. He didn't have to.
After an awkward and emotionally draining week, Raoul was gone. He had been very sweet to Mavis during their last week together, because he knew that a part of him would always love her, but his warmth could not make up for the heaviness in her heart. She quit her job and found a similar position with a local firm, because she couldn't bring herself to go anywhere near the train station.
Two months later, Mavis felt compelled to drive to Hoboken, but she wasn't sure why. She soon found herself at the train station. She slowly walked around the station and began to reminisce. She sat in the bench where she and Raoul first met. She walked to the spot where he took her into his arms for the first time, and she paused for a moment as she remembered that look of forever in his eyes. She walked to the spot where he kissed her for the first time.
Mavis felt the need to sit down again and reflect. She had been burying her feelings up until this day. When the realization of the depth of her feelings hit her, a tear slowly rolled down her cheek. Then she closed her eyes for a moment when she realized that she had to come to terms with her newly resurfaced feelings. She admitted to herself that she was in pain, and this made her a stronger person. As Mavis got up to leave,she happened to notice a calender on the information desk. She realized that it was a year to the day when she met Raoul at the station in her crisp white dress. It was exactly one year before that she admitted to herself that she was in love.
Mavis could not regret her association with Raoul, for the depth of her pain did not change the fact that what she had with him was wonderful. Nowadays, Mavis no longer weeps when she drives by the train station. She smiles to herself and sighs.-Sharon Leigh Davis, 33
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