Phoebe laid her head on the chest of Christian, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the silence. The rhythmical sound of his heartbeat was soothing and she was reminded of the calmness that he introduced in her life. But even as she stood there with her arms around Christian’s neck, a small part of her was still conscious of what had taken place. It was really hard to bid farewell to Seth. He had been a major aspect of her life, the happy and the sad, and this was like setting a book aside when one is not sure whether or not they are ready to part with it.Christian stepped back a little, looking into her face and into the defiance in her eyes. “Are you sure You’re okay?”Phoebe breathed in deeply and then gave her consent. “I am. It was tough but it was inevitable.”“You have been through a lot Phoebe,” Christian whispered gently, touching her cheek with his hand, “And you don’t have to bear all the pain alone anymore.” He was a man with a gentle hand, very comforting.“I know,” she sai
She embraced the feeling of his hand on her, the warmth that he brought her. For the first time in a long time she felt that a light had been switched on in the dark corner of her heart; she felt that she could leave the past behind her and look forward to the future. But as she slid out of Christian’s arms and looked across the room, she saw Seth again. He was standing alone by the bar, his eyes glued to the glass which was in his hand. The boy made her feel something she could not quite place – a twinge of regret, of longing, and some other emotion that was hard to put her finger on. Christian looked at her and followed her line of sight with a small frown on his face. “Would you like to speak to him?” he inquired, and although he was calm, there was worry in his tone. Phoebe paused for a second, feeling the thump of her heart in her chest. “I. .. I think I have to. Only once again. ” Christian only nodded slowly and the stiffness of his body was quite evident. “I will stay her
“I believe you,” Phoebe whispered, she was so emotional that she could barely speak. “But love alone isn’t enough, Seth. We’ve hurt each other in ways that can’t be undone. You didn’t just break my heart; you broke my spirit. And I don’t think I can ever come back from that. ” Seth’s face twisted in agony and his dark eyes were full of suffering. “I know,” he said softly, his voice rough. “I let you down. But I can change. I can be the man you want. ” Phoebe stepped back and shook her head at the same time. “It’s not about being better. It’s about moving on. We’ve tried, Seth. We’ve tried to make this work and we’ve failed. Sometimes, love is not enough to mend what is broken. Sometimes, it is about letting go. ” Steady silence followed them like fog. Seth’s jaw clamped”, his hands were fisted at his sides as if he was on the verge of losing his temper. “Is it Christian?” he asked, almost in a whisper. Phoebe blinked, and felt the pressure of the question that was asked. She had n
Phoebe nodded her head and felt a certain kind of relief that she had said everything that she wanted to say. It wasn’t easy and it never would be. But it was done. She had said her goodbye to Seth and she had also buried that part of her life as well.When Phoebe and Christian came out into the fresh air of the evening she sighed, the burden of the last farewell was off her. The street was quiet, only the wind blowing through the trees in the vicinity could be heard. It was quiet, calm, as if the opposite to the storm that had been brewing in her soul for ages. Christian looked at her and even though his eyes were tender, they were asking questions. “Are you okay?” he whispered. Phoebe stood in silence for a few moments processing his words, before replying to his question. The oppression was still felt but it was not as strong as before and there was calmness that came with it. She had made the right choice, though it took her a long time to know that she was making the right deci
“I was about to say, I have not said much,” Phoebe finally whispered. “To you, to myself, even to Seth,” there are so many things that I’ve kept hidden, things I did not want to confront. But now after all this I can’t turn a blind eye.” Christian’s face did not change and his eyes were fixed on her face as he nodded for her to go on. He did not hurry her, did not force. He just stood there as he always did, watching her intently waiting for her to be ready. Phoebe gaze to return to the sky, and the stars that sparkled like the dream of a better tomorrow. “I’ve been trying to cling to the past for so long,” she whispered, “I was trying to mend a broken relationship, I thought that if I give enough love to Seth, if I am patient enough things will change for the better but they didn’t. ” Christian moved a little and her eyes followed him again. “Well, now?” he said quietly, his tone filled with concern. “Now that you’ve let go, what do you want, Phoebe?” The question seemed to weigh
The words that he said made Phoebe feel the warmth in her chest. This was different – so different from what she had been through with Seth. It was not pressurized, it was not hurried. Just understanding. Just kindness. “I am not asking you to wait for a lifetime,” she said with a small smile on her lips. “I just require time to recover, time to come to terms with everything. ” Christian nodded. “I’ll be here,” he said just like that. “Whenever you’re ready. ” They just stared at each other for a while and the night breeze was chilly as it embraced them. For the first time in years, Phoebe felt lighter, freer than she had in years. For the first time in a long time she felt empowered and that she was the master of her own destiny. That was quite scary but at the same time it was quite fun. And so, they kept on walking and as Phoebe did, she understood that she was not only leaving Seth behind but she was walking into the unknown. And for the first time in a long time, that didn’t
You do not need to solve all the problems at the moment,” Sarah said softly. “You are not running from one man to another. You are healing. And healing takes time. Seth was a big part of your life, and it is normal to feel some sort of feelings and regrets. But that does not make you a failure and does not mean that you cannot move forward.” Phoebe lowered her gaze towards her hands and she was overwhelmed with guilt and confusion. “But Christian deserves more than someone who has not moved on, right? He deserves a woman who can offer him herself, not a woman who is still nursing a broken heart.” Sarah let out a breath and put her hand on Phoebe’s shoulder. “Christian understands what you have been through Phoebe, he doesn’t want you to erase all that and dive into a new relationship immediately, he just wants to support you in any way that you need him right now.” Slower and slower Phoebe nodded, her heart aching but her head a little less fuzzy. “I suppose I have always feared th
Phoebe looked at Sarah, trying to understand what she just said to her. It was true. The woman who once fell in love with Seth, who tried her best to save their marriage, who once dreamt of a future together with him, seemed so distant now. She had turned into a completely different person, a woman who is not yet sure of what she wants in life.“And Christian?” Phoebe questioned as her mind wandered towards him. ”So what role does he play in all of this?” Sarah smiled gently and her face lit up. “Christian is a man who cares for you. He has been patient, kind, and understanding when you were still lost. He is allowing you time to heal but at the same time, he is telling you that he is waiting for you whenever you are ready.” Phoebe bit her lip, her thoughts are still with Christian. He had been nothing but supportive but her heart was divided between Seth and Christian and the new possibility that came with him. She understood that Christian needed more than half of her heart, but s