Grasp at straws

chapter 3 _ first straw

First straw

She froze.

For a moment, she was afraid to turn around. Her heart began beating wildly.

The footsteps came closer.

“ Emily….”

Her whole body went still.

That voice.

Her hands slowly dropped from her face.

“No,” she whispered “it can't be….”

“Emily”

She turned around.

Just like a rugged automobile with a state of art navigation system or a yacht manned by a veteran captain, this time his grit paid off.

The man standing before her looked different, his clothes were rich and neat, everything about him looked different.

But those eyes…..

“Evan?”

Emily's lips trembled.

Evan stood there silently.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved.

Then Emily ran towards him.

“Evan!”

She threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.

Evan held her tightly.

“My princess,” he muttered, tears filling his eyes. “ I'm sorry.”

Emily suddenly pushed him away.

“Sorry?” She cried. “Sorry? Evan, where have you been?

“I looked for you everywhere!”

“Emily….”

“For twenty months!” she continued.

“Twenty months, Evan! Do you know how many nights I came here hoping to find you?”

Evan lowered his head.

“I know I hurt you”

“Then why?” Emily asked. Why did you leave me?

Evan took a deep breath.

“I never left, I did what I did for our good.”

“Emily, the day after you disappeared from your introduction ceremony to Prince Edward, I became worried about how I am going to marry you because I had nothing, and when you told me how your parents wanted you to get married to a rich man, I became depressed.

“But, Evan, I never complained.”

“Yes, I just wanted a good life for us.”

“So where have you been, Evan? She cleaned her tears.

“I travel to a far country, I went into partnership with some entrepreneurs while attending workshops, hoping to uncover opportunities. And lucky it paid off, Am sorry for ever leaving.”

“How are you doing?”

“I'm rich! We are rich!”

“Wow!”

“Yes my Emily, I have houses and workshops in different countries.”

Emily's eyes filled with tears again.

They fell into each other's arms and wept.

“I love you Emily, thank you for waiting!”

“Evan……!”

“Evan…… the day after tomorrow is my wedding.

*************

“ Emily, you can't please, I am back to marry you.

“Robert has been here for me, I can't do this to him, not now!”

They heard footsteps and it was Robert.

He had followed Emily because he was worried about her.

And now he knew the truth.

The woman he was about to marry has never stopped loving another man.

Robert slowly turned away.

Tears rolling down his cheek.

“I guess,” he whispered, “some hearts belong to someone else.”__their first love

Back home, Emily's mom was seriously preparing for Emily's wedding.

“Mom, Evan is back!.

“What!”

Emily took a deep breath.

And before she could answer, the mother noticed the fear in her daughter’s eyes.

“Mom, Evan is back!”

Emily’s mother froze.

For a moment, the dress she was holding slipped her hands.

“What?” She asked slowly. “How? When?”

“He came back today”

Emily's mother stared at her daughter's tear stained face.

“And where is he now ?”

“At the old garden.”

Her mother's expression changed.

“Emily….”

“Mom, please don't start.”

“Don't start?” Her mother snapped. Your wedding is in two days.

“I know!”

“Robert and his family has made preparations. Guests have been invited. Everything is ready!”

Emily looked away.

“Evan said he came back for me.”

Her mother let out a bitter laugh.

“And you believe him”

Emily quickly turned to her.

“Mom! You know he is my first love.”

“What do you want me to say, Emily? The man disappeared for twenty months.”

“He didn't disappear. He was working”

“Working?” Her mother repeated. “And he couldn't you message? He couldn't call you? He couldn't tell you where he was?

Emily remained silent.

Her mother stepped closer.

“Where was Evan when you were crying every night”

“Mom….”

“Where was he when your father was looking for a husband for you? Where was he when Robert stood by you?”

Emily's eyes filled with tears.

“Please stop.”

Her mother softened slightly.

“My child, love is not only about the person your heart beats for. Sometimes love is about the person who stays.

Emily looked down.

Robert's face suddenly came into her mind.

The way he had always listened to her.

The way he had defended her.

The way he had patiently waited for her heart to open.

And now ... .He knows the truth.

“Mom,” Emily whispered.

“Yes?”

“Robert knows”

Her mother went still

“What do you mean Robert knows?”

“He followed me.”

“Oh, Emily…”

“I didn't know he was there”

“What did he say”

Emily swallowed hard.

“He said…. some hearts belong to someone else.”

Silence filled the room.

For the first time Emily's mother has no words.

******************

Meanwhile, Robert walked slowly through the streets.

He didn't know where he was going,his heart felt heavy.

Twenty months.

That was how long Evan had been gone.

Yet in all-time, Emily had never truly forgotten him.

Robert stopped walking.

He remembered the first day he met Emily.

She had been quiet.

Sad.

Broken in a way she tried hard to hide.

He had promised himself that he would make her smile again.

And he did.

But now he wondered….

Had she ever smiled because she he loved him?

Or had she simply been learning to live without Evan?

“Robert!”

He heard someone calling his name.

He turned around.

It was his younger sister, Clara.

She ran towards him.

“Robert, what happened? Everyone is looking for you.

Robert forced a smile.

“Nothing happened.”

Clara looked at his face.

“Then why are you crying?”

Robert quickly wiped his eyes.

“I saw something I wasn't supposed to see.”

Clara became worried.

“What?”

Robert looked into the distance.

“Emily's first love came back”

Clara's eyes widened.

“What?”

“Evan”

“The man she used to talk about”

Robert nodded.

Clara's face hardened.

“And what does Emily want?”

Robert laughed painfully.

“That's the problem, I don't think she knows”

***************

That evening, Emily couldn't sleep.

She sat beside her window staring through the dark sky.

Her wedding dress hung quietly across the room.

In two days she was supposed to be Robert’s wife.

But Evan is back.

The man she had cried over.

The man she prayed to see again.

The man she thought she had lost forever.

A soft knock came at her door.

“Come in,”she said.

Her father entered, he looked tired.

“Dad?”

He slowly closed the door behind him.

“I heard Evan is back.”

Emily's eyes widened.

“Mom told you?”

He nodded

Her father walked closer and sat beside her.

Then he asked, "Do you still love him?"

Emily's lips parted

But no word came out.

Her father nodded slowly.

“That is your answer”

“Dad I don't know what to do”

“Yes, you do”

Emily looked at him.

Her father took her hand.

“You are afraid of making the wrong choice.”

Emily lowered her head.

Her father sighed

“When I was younger, I thought money was the most important thing a man could have, that's why I wanted you to marry a rich man.”

“Dad…!”

“But I was wrong to believe that money alone could make you happy.”

“Are you saying I should marry Evan?”

Her father shook his head.

“No”

Emily frowned.

“I am saying you should not marry anyone you do not truly want.”

Emily's eyes filled with tears again.

*********

The next morning, Emily went to Robert's house.

Her hands shook as she stood outside the door.

She almost turned back.

But then the door opened

Robert stood there.

“Come in.”

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

She followed him inside the house. The house was quiet.

“I came to talk to you”

“I know”

“Robert, I'm so sorry.”

He smiled faintly.

“Don't apologize for loving someone else, Emily.”

Her tears immediately began to fall.

The honesty in his voice broke her heart.

“I never wanted to hurt you.”

Robert looked at her for a long moment.

“Do you still love him?”

Emily closed her eyes.

She remembered Evan.

His eyes.

His voice

The day he disappeared.

The day he returned.

Then she remembered Robert.

His kindness.

His patience.

The warmth he had brought into her life.

Then she opened her eyes.

“I don't know.”

Robert's face fell.

Emily quickly continued

“I loved Evan for so long,I thought I would never see him again. Then you came into my life, Robert. You helped me heal.”

“But healing is not always the same as love, is it?” He asked quietly.

Emily began to cry harder.

Robert walked to her

“Emily, look at me.”

She slowly raised her eyes.

“I love you.”

Her lips trembled.

“But I will not force you to marry me.”

“Robert….”

“I would rather lose you than spend the rest of my life wondering if you wish you were with someone else.”

Emily covered her face and sobbed.

“Go.”

She stared at him.

“What!”

Go and find out what your heart truly wants.

“Robert…”

“But if you choose Evan, make sure you are choosing the man he is now, not the memory of the man you lost.”

Emily looked at him silently.

“And if you choose me don't choose me because I was there when you were lonely”

“A tear rolled down Emily cheek”

“Choose who you truly want.”

She nodded.

She stood and walked towards the door.

But before leaving, she looked back.

“Robert, you are a good man.”

“I know”

Outside the house…..A black car was waiting.

And beside it stood Evan.

Emily froze.

Evan looked at Robert.

Robert looked at Evan.

Two men.

One woman.

And one decision that would change their lives forever.

“Evan took a step forward.”

“Emily,” he said.

Robert remained silent.

Emily looked at Evan.

Then at Robert.

Her heart began beating wildly.

And suddenly, she understood something frightening.

Choosing one of them meant losing the other.

And for the first time in her life.

Emily wasn't sure which loss would hurt more.

“Emily, come on let's go.”

“Evan, what _?

TO BE CONTINUED…..