Karmen sat back against the heavy leather armchair. "I decided not to pursue her," he said.
"Why?" Carlos asked, leaning forward and swirling his own drink. "Do you regret it now? Seeing her again, knowing what could have been?"
"I should have taken action when I was young," Karmen admitted. "I stepped back then, letting the moment slip through my fingers. I used to tell myself there was no use looking back, and that the time had passed. That is what I thought for a long time."
He took a slow sip before continuing. "Besides, Aisha knows now how I felt about her. I laid it bare. But she was still indifferent to it. Some fires just don't have enough oxygen to restart, Carlos. Maybe it's for the best. Maybe I will have someone better in my life," he affirmed.
He again brought the glass to his mouth and drained the remaining alcohol in one steady gulp.
Carlos nodded slowly, a quiet respect for his friend's resolve settling between them.
