I need to catch up on your thread. Yes, he said he'd been thinking about me 3 times in his e-mail. I suppose there was no proof when we weren't in contact, but I'd have been surprised if he hadn't been thinking about me- he knew I needed him, and it's not as though we ever had a bad relationship or that I caused issues. It would have been good if I could have left him for longer really.
'Don't forget about me' is a thing we used to say to each other when we were going to be apart for a little while. It wasn't a goodbye, more an 'if you're away don't forget about how great I am' thing. And yes, he did say he never forgets about me. I should hope not too.
Lunch was my idea- he was telling me he had nothing on at work on Friday so I jokingly said he could take me out for lunch as he owes me. He then brought it up at the end of the evening and offered, although I might have guilted him into it with telling him I needed him.
I guess in answer to the question of whether he's gone, I'd say that based on the facts, yes, he's gone, and he will be until he decides to try again (if he does). I'm not pinning my hopes on it- so much time has passed that I can't imagine him changing his mind now.
Busy at work again today and MLC man (who's my line manager) has just asked me what work he can do for me. So annoying- he should be helping me do my work and not lazing about at home asking for odd jobs. At least he's not in the office or I'd have given him a piece of my mind!
