He had been gone for so long. Why?, he'd ask himself, over and over again. But there was no answer, not that he could find. He didn't know why he left. He didn't know why he'd stayed away for so long. And, now, he didn't know why he decided to return.
But there he was. Standing in front of the door he had once been so familiar with. It felt unusual now, like looking into the face of a stranger. He drew in a deep breath, held it, and exhaled before raising his fist to the door. He didn't know what reaction to expect. Hell, he wasn't even sure if she still lived here. But he had not found any information suggesting she had moved, and so, with a racing heart, he rapped on the door two times, short and, he hoped, sweet.
He held his breath until the door creaked open. Once he saw her face peering at him, looking confused, perhaps, it was like all the air escaped his lungs.
" Hi. " It was all he could think to say.
Then, as if his brain jumpstarted itself and all of his neurons were firing again, he realised he should probably give some sort of explanation. His brain fired rapidly but his mouth was frozen. He felt as if he'd forgotten how to speak. After stuttering a couple of times, he managed to get a few words out of his head.