On Monday, on her way back to the bookstore from lunch, Emma Grey was walking through the park. It was a sunny enough day, and plenty of people wandered around. Laying on the grass, under a tree to her left, she saw an old friend of hers. She approached, and he recognised her straight away. They talked, caught up. She had work to get back to however, so they made their reluctant goodbyes and arranged to meet later that evening.

*

On Tuesday Emma was walking through the park again, at the same time as on the day before. Approaching where she had met her friend the day before she recalled their encounter and, instinctively, glanced to where she had spotted him. But instead of her friend she saw a man, mysterious to her but strangely familiar. He smiled at her, and her at him.

*

On Wednesday again she walked the same route. The sun sat in, relatively, the same position it had before. It'd been raining earlier, a few clouds in the sky. It was her only day off work that week, and so she had arranged to meet her lover under the same tree as she had met her old friend. Though the grass was still slightly wet from the rain, they lay talking under the tree for hours. But later she could not remember about what.

*

Thursday came, and the monotony of working life found Emma in the park she had become so familiar with in the past few days. Neither the route to work nor the time of her break ever changed, so it was not surprising that she found herself back near the same tree at the same time again. Emma herself, however, was surprised and annoyed by her own realisation of the uniformity of her days and nights. Events and people never seemed to change, only her perception of them. There was a boy under the tree today, with whom she chatted for a while. But she found his immaturity quite repellent, and so made her excuses and continued on her way to work. Surprised by the force of her dislike, but still could not bear to look back at him.

*

On the afternoon of her next Friday lived, Emma had the misfortune to run into an enemy. She did not know if the coldness between them was shared, or merely in her own mind. And though she had only begun to feel this way quite recently, she could no longer hold back her contempt for him. Abruptly, in the middle of conversation, she stated her desire to end their relationship, and to never see him again. Emma did not regret the result of her outburst, but later felt she was too callous with him.

*

Another sunny Saturday she had to work, but Emma felt the brightness of the park was too much and moved more quickly to the bookstore. She had slid further into regret over her outburst. She saw the shadow of her lover under their tree, where they used to lie together, and so chose another route.

*

Sunday evening. She blinks, and the sun takes its chance to set. She hadn't gone to work. Instead, had stayed in bed all-day and, only now, forced herself outside. She visited her park; saw the tree and the grass where they had lain. Emma Grey saw no one that night, but she was companioned by regret, the memories of friends become lovers, and of lovers become lost.