No promises: The ink well fiction writing prompt

in The Ink Well7 days ago

After James realized his author, the man who had taught him to become a detective was a criminal, he decided to quit being a sleuth. He made his mind to travel to California by train, where he will start a new life, forgetting his past life and everything that associated with it. James is a black man with dreadlocks and often wears glasses. He dresses simple with a shirt and trousers and braces and sometimes nods a polka dots bow tie. He is fond of holding his beards whenever he is doing critical thinking. He sat beside a lady wearing a hood, her face was not visible except for the pigtails braid that protruded from the hood hat. The train was occupied with passengers, some seating and others standing and holding the bars in the middle of the train.
'hey, I'm James'. He held out his hand toward her, and she responded with a handshake.
'i'm Jane'. Before he could speak further she brought out a note and started reading from it.

Shortly after, Jane excused herself and moved to another section of the train. At about 20 minutes while she was away, James notices she had kept the note on her seat, he took it and seek to return it to her bumping on people he assumed was her, all he remembered about the lady sitting next to him was that she had a pigtails braids on her, not knowing her by facial appearance. He was exhausted after searching after her for a while and decided to retire. His attention was drawn to a label inside the note.

It reads with his handwriting
"I will never leave you, it's just going to be a few years, and I will be back to you after some years"

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'she had lied to me, she wasn't Jane' he mumbled, he remembers his words vividly that night he spent with Gabrielle. He had written this note on the same blue card the day he left for Texas to be trained as a detective, promising he was going to return to her, but he failed in his promise, it's over 15 years now. Quickly, he dashed in the direction she had taken, pushing passengers on his way, Gabrielle, Gabrielle he kept shouted it loud.

He walked to and fro waiting for the train to reach the train station, he was sure she is still on the train as he stood caressing his beard and thinking about what to do. Immediately the train stopped, he jumped down the train and stood in the subway watching each passenger that dropped. As he was observing the people dragging the freight they took with them, he noticed her meandering her way in the crowd. 'Gabrielle' he called out running after her, immediately she took her heels running through the rail.
'please stop' he said almost catching up with her. 'i'm sorry".
She stopped, 'All these years I have been waiting for you, every day hoping you will return home, but days turned to weeks and weeks to years'
'I'm sorry, I have no excuse to give, we can start from here, to amend for the wrongs'
'just like that? You think it's that easy? ' tears dropping from her eyes
James hugged her clearing off the drop of tears, 'i'm sorry, a lot happened' he said. 'i promise to.. ' she placed her index finger on his lips 'no promises, you had failed me twice' she said, 'let's pray for good as we enjoy this moment.