1186 The world of the living
She stared outside the window at the clear blue sky. Not too many clouds were blocking their path. It was indeed a bright sunshiny day. But it did not help to cheer her up, knowing that she was starting a new life without him by her side.
She knew it would not bring him back if she kept thinking of him. Still, she could not help but mourn her loss. Besides, she was not a machine that had an off button. She could not simply turn off her emotions and tell herself she was over him.
His body might have died, but in her heart, he still lived. He would probably be in her heart forever.
“Do you want anything to drink or eat, Ms. Haley?” The flight stewardess stood on the aisle, asking for anything she needed.
However, she just ate before she left the house. She could still feel her stomach full. “Maybe later,” Haley answered the kind woman. On the other hand, she might need something else.
“If you want to lie down, there is a private room at the back where you can sleep.” She offered to her as if she had read her mind.
“I will surely love to do that. But give me a few minutes. I want to enjoy the view first.” Haley informed the beautiful woman who was in charge of caring for her.
She could only guess that Mike must have given her strict instructions to provide for all her needs. Suddenly, she wished that Mike was here to keep her company. But she also understood his reason for not accompanying her.
He was a busy man with many responsibilities. He could not drop everything to be with her and act as her chaperone. He had already done enough. She could not ask for more.
.....
“Just buzz me if you are ready to rest or need anything.” The woman reminded her, pointing to the button at the right side of her seat. Then, the woman walked away from her, further in the front, behind the curtain to give her privacy.
She had frequently flown to different places in both commercial and private planes before. But she always had company with her. She was never alone like this.
But now, she could not help the loneliness gripping her heart after realizing she would raise her child alone. It was different when Mike was around, but now, she had to stop depending on him.
“Mike is not Gerald.” She reminded herself as she stared at the vast ocean beneath her.
She had to start figuring out what she would do with her life, especially her child. No one else would do it for her. Mike only helped her to start over again, but the rest would have to come from her.
She was lucky that Mike was there when she needed him, providing almost everything she required to create a new life. She could not even fathom what she would do if she ended up in her father’s hands.
She might be marrying that horrible man by now. That sent shivers down her spine, almost making her puke in total disgust just thinking of his face. Then, she could not even think what would happen to her child if her father learned that she was pregnant with Gerald’s child.
“Stop!” She muttered silently in her seat. It would not help for her to think of the past. She had to move on to the future.
She continued to stare at the blueness of the ocean that seemed to go on and on. It looked like it was endless. But still, she knew that, in the end, there was an island, a solitary place where she could start a new life with her child.
Then, she thought of her other family and friends. Her brother and his wife must be worried sick about her. But she could not seek them out. She believed Mike was right about this. She could not involve them in this dangerous situation.
“Please, God. I hope things get better eventually.” She prayed, wishing that she could still return to her life.
She wanted her new identity to be a temporary setup until Mike could find a way to help her. At least, that was his promise. She never wanted to leave her life, family, and friends behind forever.
Then, she heard her phone ring, and looking at the caller, she smiled. “Hey, Mike.” She quickly answered him, knowing he was checking up on her.
“I hope the trip is comfortable. The news said it is clear weather today.” He informed her and assured her that she would not have a bumpy ride. So far, she believed him, seeing nothing but a fair climate outside.
“I still wish you came. So you can join me at the beach.” She told him, teasing him with the allure of the warm sun on their skin. “I believe tan would be a good color on you.” She added.
“Yeah, I think so too. And believe me, if I had a choice, I would have joined you.” He told her, sounding regretful. “But as soon as I have some free time, I promise to come and see you. Then, we can go frolicking under the sun.” He swore to her, slightly chuckling, probably picturing the beach underneath their feet.
She could not wait for that time when her friend could keep her company. But for now, she had to focus on finding herself and learning to live her new life without depending on others.
Although she had worked hard to build her name in the architecture world, she knew that she had always lived under the umbrella of her father’s name. She had lived a sheltered life, depending on most of her decisions through the guidance of her father.
Now, it was time to do it on her own.
“I guess I will be looking forward to that.” She smiled even if he would not see it. “Anyway, I gotta go. I think I am a little sleepy.” She told him, excusing herself.
“Oh, sure! Just tell...” But before he could say more, she interrupted him.
“Don’t worry.” She assured him. “She is taking good care of me.” She appreciated what he was trying to do, even if it felt like he was smothering her.
“I only want to make sure you are going to be ok,” Mike said on the other line, sounding slightly frustrated.
She supposed he mirrored what she felt at the moment. “I am ok. Thanks to you.” She said, feeling a little teary. But she blinked them away, knowing she had no use for tears.
“You have to call me as soon as you land. And every time you need something or want to talk.” He reminded her what he had repeatedly told her before they parted ways.
“I will...” She was saying this when a voice suddenly sounded in the background.
“Are you ready, Mike?” She heard a man’s voice before the conversation became muffled.
She thought she heard, “Wait!” Then, everything else became unclear, as if Mike had covered the mouthpiece before putting her on hold. Honestly, she had no idea what she heard.
It happened so fast.
Still, did she hear his voice? Was that him, or was she imagining it, wanting it to be him?
But he was dead. Gerald was not coming back.
Maybe it was like the other day when she fantasized about his presence in the house, sensing him near, watching over her. But just like her dreams, it was nothing more but the figment of her imagination. He was not real.
Either she heard a familiar voice that sounded like him talking to Mike, or her mind played tricks on her. But the idea that Gerald was the one who spoke on the other end was not possible.
“That is just crazy.” She told herself, shaking her head to shake off the idea out of her mind.
She kept the phone in her ears, waiting for Mike to return to their conversation. After a few more seconds, she heard the phone click, and his voice returned to her receiver.
“I am sorry about that. It was a client asking if we could continue with the meeting. So, I better run.” Mike said, sounding so calm and convincing.
She could not see why she should doubt his words.
“I guess I will not keep you anymore. Go and save the world.” She teased him as she finally said goodbye. “I will call again as soon as I land.”
Then, the line was dead, but she could not help but thank the man for saving her.
He was her savior.
She stared at her phone before putting it back inside her bag. She was not expecting more calls since no one else knew her number. Under her new name, she still had no other friend except Mike.
When she looked outside the window, somewhat, his voice popped up in her head. “Are you ready, Mike?” It repeated. It sounded like him, but it did not prove it was him.
She could only conclude that she had been watching too many ghost stories, wishing Gerald would return to her. But that was just in the movies. In real life, she had to accept that the dead would never live again.
But as she stared at the clear sky again, she could not help but question her conclusion. What if there was a way for the dead to return to the world of the living?
Was that even possible? Of course not. That was just ridiculous.
1186 The world of the living
She stared outside the window at the clear blue sky. Not too many clouds were blocking their path. It was indeed a bright sunshiny day. But it did not help to cheer her up, knowing that she was starting a new life without him by her side.
She knew it would not bring him back if she kept thinking of him. Still, she could not help but mourn her loss. Besides, she was not a machine that had an off button. She could not simply turn off her emotions and tell herself she was over him.
His body might have died, but in her heart, he still lived. He would probably be in her heart forever.
“Do you want anything to drink or eat, Ms. Haley?” The flight stewardess stood on the aisle, asking for anything she needed.
However, she just ate before she left the house. She could still feel her stomach full. “Maybe later,” Haley answered the kind woman. On the other hand, she might need something else.
“If you want to lie down, there is a private room at the back where you can sleep.” She offered to her as if she had read her mind.
“I will surely love to do that. But give me a few minutes. I want to enjoy the view first.” Haley informed the beautiful woman who was in charge of caring for her.
She could only guess that Mike must have given her strict instructions to provide for all her needs. Suddenly, she wished that Mike was here to keep her company. But she also understood his reason for not accompanying her.
He was a busy man with many responsibilities. He could not drop everything to be with her and act as her chaperone. He had already done enough. She could not ask for more.
.....
“Just buzz me if you are ready to rest or need anything.” The woman reminded her, pointing to the button at the right side of her seat. Then, the woman walked away from her, further in the front, behind the curtain to give her privacy.
She had frequently flown to different places in both commercial and private planes before. But she always had company with her. She was never alone like this.
But now, she could not help the loneliness gripping her heart after realizing she would raise her child alone. It was different when Mike was around, but now, she had to stop depending on him.
“Mike is not Gerald.” She reminded herself as she stared at the vast ocean beneath her.
She had to start figuring out what she would do with her life, especially her child. No one else would do it for her. Mike only helped her to start over again, but the rest would have to come from her.
She was lucky that Mike was there when she needed him, providing almost everything she required to create a new life. She could not even fathom what she would do if she ended up in her father’s hands.
She might be marrying that horrible man by now. That sent shivers down her spine, almost making her puke in total disgust just thinking of his face. Then, she could not even think what would happen to her child if her father learned that she was pregnant with Gerald’s child.
“Stop!” She muttered silently in her seat. It would not help for her to think of the past. She had to move on to the future.
She continued to stare at the blueness of the ocean that seemed to go on and on. It looked like it was endless. But still, she knew that, in the end, there was an island, a solitary place where she could start a new life with her child.
Then, she thought of her other family and friends. Her brother and his wife must be worried sick about her. But she could not seek them out. She believed Mike was right about this. She could not involve them in this dangerous situation.
“Please, God. I hope things get better eventually.” She prayed, wishing that she could still return to her life.
She wanted her new identity to be a temporary setup until Mike could find a way to help her. At least, that was his promise. She never wanted to leave her life, family, and friends behind forever.
Then, she heard her phone ring, and looking at the caller, she smiled. “Hey, Mike.” She quickly answered him, knowing he was checking up on her.
“I hope the trip is comfortable. The news said it is clear weather today.” He informed her and assured her that she would not have a bumpy ride. So far, she believed him, seeing nothing but a fair climate outside.
“I still wish you came. So you can join me at the beach.” She told him, teasing him with the allure of the warm sun on their skin. “I believe tan would be a good color on you.” She added.
“Yeah, I think so too. And believe me, if I had a choice, I would have joined you.” He told her, sounding regretful. “But as soon as I have some free time, I promise to come and see you. Then, we can go frolicking under the sun.” He swore to her, slightly chuckling, probably picturing the beach underneath their feet.
She could not wait for that time when her friend could keep her company. But for now, she had to focus on finding herself and learning to live her new life without depending on others.
Although she had worked hard to build her name in the architecture world, she knew that she had always lived under the umbrella of her father’s name. She had lived a sheltered life, depending on most of her decisions through the guidance of her father.
Now, it was time to do it on her own.
“I guess I will be looking forward to that.” She smiled even if he would not see it. “Anyway, I gotta go. I think I am a little sleepy.” She told him, excusing herself.
“Oh, sure! Just tell...” But before he could say more, she interrupted him.
“Don’t worry.” She assured him. “She is taking good care of me.” She appreciated what he was trying to do, even if it felt like he was smothering her.
“I only want to make sure you are going to be ok,” Mike said on the other line, sounding slightly frustrated.
She supposed he mirrored what she felt at the moment. “I am ok. Thanks to you.” She said, feeling a little teary. But she blinked them away, knowing she had no use for tears.
“You have to call me as soon as you land. And every time you need something or want to talk.” He reminded her what he had repeatedly told her before they parted ways.
“I will...” She was saying this when a voice suddenly sounded in the background.
“Are you ready, Mike?” She heard a man’s voice before the conversation became muffled.
She thought she heard, “Wait!” Then, everything else became unclear, as if Mike had covered the mouthpiece before putting her on hold. Honestly, she had no idea what she heard.
It happened so fast.
Still, did she hear his voice? Was that him, or was she imagining it, wanting it to be him?
But he was dead. Gerald was not coming back.
Maybe it was like the other day when she fantasized about his presence in the house, sensing him near, watching over her. But just like her dreams, it was nothing more but the figment of her imagination. He was not real.
Either she heard a familiar voice that sounded like him talking to Mike, or her mind played tricks on her. But the idea that Gerald was the one who spoke on the other end was not possible.
“That is just crazy.” She told herself, shaking her head to shake off the idea out of her mind.
She kept the phone in her ears, waiting for Mike to return to their conversation. After a few more seconds, she heard the phone click, and his voice returned to her receiver.
“I am sorry about that. It was a client asking if we could continue with the meeting. So, I better run.” Mike said, sounding so calm and convincing.
She could not see why she should doubt his words.
“I guess I will not keep you anymore. Go and save the world.” She teased him as she finally said goodbye. “I will call again as soon as I land.”
Then, the line was dead, but she could not help but thank the man for saving her.
He was her savior.
She stared at her phone before putting it back inside her bag. She was not expecting more calls since no one else knew her number. Under her new name, she still had no other friend except Mike.
When she looked outside the window, somewhat, his voice popped up in her head. “Are you ready, Mike?” It repeated. It sounded like him, but it did not prove it was him.
She could only conclude that she had been watching too many ghost stories, wishing Gerald would return to her. But that was just in the movies. In real life, she had to accept that the dead would never live again.
But as she stared at the clear sky again, she could not help but question her conclusion. What if there was a way for the dead to return to the world of the living?
Was that even possible? Of course not. That was just ridiculous.
