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The clock keeps ticking until it gets pitch dark outside. I had not realized how long I had sat at my desk till I looked outside the window.
The watch lamp from the tower outside the building casts a shadow from the window blinds.
I pack up my things to leave for the day. I had gone through enough work to accommodate my one-week absence.
I reach below my table to turn off the power socket for the gadgets. As my head comes up, a shadow is cast over me, blocking the light from the window blinds.
He stands there towering over me, and I wonder how long he has been standing there and watching over me.
“Lea…” As if continuing the conversation from where he stopped earlier in the day.
“Hi. I didn’t know you were going to come back here after your meeting with Mr. Lorenzo.”
“I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want to go home either. I walked in and noticed that your office’s lights were still on. What has kept you here till this time?”
“Ummm…” My words stumble upon each other as I try to explain the situation.
“Today, I received a call from Kevin, who informed me that the final court proceedings are scheduled for Thursday, the day after tomorrow. He says the judge requested my presence, and I need to be in San Antonio that day.”
“Oh…”
“I know it’s just been three weeks and a few days since I started working here, and I shouldn’t be asking for a break now. However, this is something urgent that I cannot avoid.”
“Lea, is this why you have been avoiding me? Whether you have worked here for three weeks or three years is immaterial.”
“No… that’s not why I have been avoiding… that’s not why we haven’t spoken in a while.”
“So you do agree that you have been avoiding me, right? What’s wrong, Lea? Speak to me, please.”
It was obvious my cowardice could not cover up for me anymore. If I didn’t give him an explanation, he wouldn’t let me go.
“Damien, the court proceedings end on Thursday. After that, we will regain our parents’ estate and can finally find relief from the continuous trials we have endured since their passing. Every time our case was called up at trial, they would call my parents ‘deceased’ and refer to us as children of the ‘deceased.’ It did something to my brain each time. My heart ached in pain from the ceaseless back and forth between our family lawyer and my brother, who could do so little to defend our cause because he was interested in the case. Now that the proceedings are ending, we will finally have peace. That will indirectly mean I may have to move back to San Antonio soon. Of course, I still need to heal from this traumatic experience. Now that everything is settled, I will love to be close to my family.”
“What are you trying to say, Lea?” The look of hurt in his eyes was hot enough to bring me to tears.
“I know we both feel the same way about each other, but what is the need to start up something that has no chance of survival? You have your company here, your clients and your entire life revolves around Los Angeles. My life and family are in San Antonio. Such distance will not be healthy for us. From a little distance, we had to give each other this period. Look how we have both turned out. How much more such a large geographical distance? It would be awkward if we started dating and had to break up because we could not deal with a long-distance relationship. Our friendship will forever be affected. I cherish our friendship. I wouldn’t choose it over something we can easily avoid.”
His gaze on me is like fiery darts targeted directly at my heart. I could feel the heat of tears forming in my eyes, but I refused to let them out so quickly.
For almost a minute, he is quiet, but his eyes speak volumes. He tries to form words but shuts his mouth every time. Finally, his speech gives way.
“Why do we have to go through this difficult route, Lea? Who says we have to?” He sighs.
“On our last night together, I told you how much I loved you and wanted to see you happy. You are the love of my life, Lea. Nothing makes sense when you’re not here with me. I understand your concerns, and they are valid. However, we could have talked it through instead of going through this difficult route of separation and distance. My heart shatters into tiny pieces every single time I walk past your office and glance at you, but you don’t acknowledge me. Whenever I send you a message, you respond with one-word replies or don’t even respond. When I get back home and knock on your door, you don’t open it, but you respond by turning the lights off, which is a sign that you don’t want me around. You were hurting, and I was hurting too. There’s nothing we cannot talk about, nothing a conversation cannot settle.“ He pauses and breathes like he is taking in everything he has said.
“You don’t have to worry about going all the way to San Antonio, Lea.”
What? Maybe I didn’t hear him correctly.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Lea, we can begin a life together here. We make a great team working together. We can be a formidable team, a power couple right here in LA. I have all that you need. The money, the investments, the cars, the houses, you name it. All that you need is right here. I can give you more than your parents’ estate out here together. You won’t have to…”
“Stop! Stop it, Damien! Stop right there!”
“What’s wrong?” He asks.
How could he look so confused by the nonsense sprouting from his mouth?
