“Eva?” comes the voice on the mobile phone.
“Yes… Frankie! Are we meeting at noon like we arranged?”
“…”
“Frankie – are you there?” Eva is a little puzzled by the silence.
“Yes, but can you come to the airport? I have to meet someone there.” Frankie sounds hesitant.
“I’ll meet you there, departure lounge… I have to go…”
The call is ended before Eva can say goodbye and she is bewildered by the change of meeting place.
…
Three hours later and Eva steps out of the Airport MTR link and into the concourse once again. She feels nervous as she takes the glass lift up to the departure area with the feeling that something untoward will be happening.
“Flight Departures.” Announces the sophisticated talking lift as the doors open and some people pushing trolleys hustle through.
Eva steps out and looks around for her fiancé. She spots him, but notices he is stood alone.
“Maybe his friend hasn’t arrived yet,” she thinks to herself as she wanders towards him, unaware that she is closely being followed by someone. As she draws closer, she sees that he is clasping his passport and carrying a bag which resembles the hand luggage he had when she returned to Hong Kong with him.
“Now I know I have made the right decision!” laughs Frankie, who seems in a particularly jovial mood.
“The two of you even arrive at the same time.”
Rather distressed by what she is seeing and hearing, Eva looks at where Frankie is staring and turns to see that Louis is just behind her. The shock turns to irritation as she turns back to Frankie and asks him sternly.
“What is going on? Is this some kind of a joke?”
Frankie continues to be in a jolly and relaxed mood.
“Eva. I want to tell you that I am pulling out. The two of you should be together. That’s why I called Louis here as well.”
He grabs Eva’s hand and places it into Louis’ before turning to Louis:
“This is where it belongs. I wish you much happiness together.”
Louis is just as stunned as Eva as he stutters:
“Frankie… why are you doing this?”
Frankie cannot keep up his act any longer and with a juddering lip, he turns to Louis and Eva:
“I just want you both to be happy. Eva, thank you for giving me the happiest time of my life. Louis, please look after her…”
He squeezes their hands together before dropping them and turning to walk to the restricted area, where they cannot follow.
Without a second thought, Eva flings away Louis’ hand with such force that her engagement ring flies away and with a loud ping rolls down the concourse floor. She runs after Frankie and grabs him, making him stop. His tears have flooded his face. Louis catches up and the three of them stand in the centre of the concourse like a showdown at noon.
Eva cannot stand the pain any longer and decides it is time to put an end to it all.
“You are both so selfish.” She announces, before turning to Frankie.
“Do you think I am just an object that can be pushed around at will? Have you asked me whether I want to be with him? Do you think that I have no feelings at all towards you and that I won’t be hurt just as much knowing I am building my happiness on your pain?”
Frankie is silent.
Eva turns to Louis.
“And you! Why do you think I should subject myself to the risk of having the same, insecure, wishy-washy relationship with you? You have shattered my dream once already, Do you think I should build it up again to have it toppled?”
A little boy runs up to Eva clasping her engagement ring.
“Jer jer! This fell off your hand before. My daddy says I should give it back to you.” He says earnestly.
“Thank you di di.” She says to him as he smiles and runs off back to his parents.
Eva laughs ironically at the ring in her hand and then turns to the two men who are standing before her with guilty looks on their faces like schoolboys being scolded. She turns to Frankie.
“I have been unfair to you. I am sorry, I should never have accepted this from you.” She says as she presses the ring back into his palm.
Then she pulls out her notebook from her bag and holds it out to Louis.
“I want you to have this. Being without it will help me to let go of you and this memory. If you want to forget me as well, then please destroy it for me.”
Frankie and Louis both turn to her with enquiring eyes as they prepare themselves mentally for what she has to say.
“I think it is time for us all to wake up and face a new day with new beginnings, you both deserve better than me.”
Eva walks away and towards the lifts. Neither Louis nor Frankie follow as they stand and begin to contemplate life without her. They recognise her message and through their love for her, have chosen to respect it. In life, it is often fairest to be unfair to everyone. Fate can be so cruel.
* *
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<IMG SRC="smilies/typin.gif" border="0"> What do you think of Eva's decision?
It's not finished yet, there is a twist to the tale so hang in there!!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">
I thought I'd give you the conclusion to this particular chapter as I didn't want to cause any sleepless nights on the cliffhanger! hehehe...
more soon! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">