Goodbye to Guadalupe

We hugged tightly as the taxi pulled up. She got in, waving every two seconds, and when the taxi pulled away, she beat the back window's glass in mock despair. I laughed momentarily, but soon frowned. When will I get to see her again? Our paths, twined together for two years in Syracuse, now wind through unknown territory. She goes back to a country she's not sure she wants to be in, with a new husband looking for a job in the general vicinity of the United States. I search for a job in Spain and a Doctoral program in the North. I think over cold winters in Syracuse, sharing offices and lives with each other. I guess part of growing up and moving on means leaving moments like those behind as warm memories, and moving on to the next step. I will miss her.