The gravity of the situation seemed to sink into Phoebe and her eyes welled up with tears. “But what if that future doesn’t exist or they are not part of it?”Gloria smiled bitterly. “Then perhaps that is what you need to do.” Marlin’s chaos may have thrown you into asking these questions earlier than you wanted to, but perhaps it is high time to stop running. Perhaps the moment has come to start choosing what one’s life should be like.Phoebe took a deep breath as she desperately attempted to control the storm that was going on in her mind. “And what if Seth doesn’t forgive me for walking away?”Gloria’s voice was calm, it was focused, and it was the only thing that seemed to make any sense at all. “If this boy named Seth really loves you, he will be able to comprehend it.” But if Christian loves you as he has said, he will set you free to make your decision when the time comes.”Phoebe nodded slowly and a flame of determination started to burn in her. “I need time. Time to work out
It was such a short drive to Seth’s house that it felt like the car took hours to get there. She was having palpitations by the time she parked her car in front of the familiar driveway. She had to calm herself down before she got out of the car and so she took a deep breath.Seth was in the living room when she got in, his eyes unfocused, and he appeared to be deep in contemplation. When she appeared, his face changed from surprise to suspicion."Phoebe?" he said, standing up. "I wasn’t expecting you."Phoebe didn’t waste any time. She moved directly towards him with her gaze focused on him. "We need to talk, Seth. And I need you to be honest with me. No more secrets. No more evasions."Seth’s forehead creased but he did not argue. "What’s this about?"Phoebe took a deep breath to calm herself and her voice was clear. "It’s about Marlin. That’s the thing, Seth he is up to something. Something big, and it has to do with your past, something to do with your father.”Seth stood still, h
Looking quite scared, Phoebe asked You mean the bald man I saw at the beach or the man I met in the car park? Seth had never elaborated when his father died to them, but she had thought that Seth never chose to talk about it and that he was still mourning.“What kind of dealings?” Phoebe inquired, and her voice was very soft.He looked at her, his eyes guilty, ‘Seth said’. “Money laundering. Fraud. He was mixing it with some bad company and you know when things started getting hot… he ensured that I was not dragged into the mess. He asked me to promise him not to speak a word about it to anyone in order to cover the family’s reputation.”Seth nodded grimly. “Somehow, he found out. He probably went round searching for documents I assumed no longer existed in our archives. That’s why if he reveals this… everything is at risk of being ended. Our Careers and even our lives”Fear gripped Phoebe in the chest. Scars of past life were clearly present in Seth and she could feel that he was suf
“Of course,” said Sarah as soon as she could. “It is better if you just specify the place because I will always be there.”Phoebe suggested a park near her old house, a place familiar to her and Sarah, they have shared the best and the worst of their times there. After she put the phone down she took a deep breath in an attempt to get her mind to stop spinning.There was not much distance to the park, but the burden of the revelations made the ride a lifetime. When she was able to park the car and look for Sarah standing close to one of the familiar benches they used to sit on, relief filled Phoebe. Sarah was the epitome of calmness and comfort and right now, she was what she needed.They hugged, and after a while Sarah stepped back to look at Phoebe’s face, frowning. “I think you’ve been through a storm,” said the woman softly.Phoebe let out a shaky laugh. "I have, Sarah. And I don’t know if I’ll be able to weather it.”They both sat on the bench and for several minutes, no one said
“Seth,” she started, her voice composed, “I require you to inform me of all that happened.” No more secrets. If we are going to move forward, I want the truth.”Seth looked at her and cleared his throat, his gaze turning into a deep shade of blue as he put his glass down. Do you really want to know? Once I tell you, you cannot undo that situation."“I’m sure,” Phoebe said confidently, her eyes locking with his, and her determination reflected in them. >If there is any chance for us to get out of this alive I need to know the real you the things you have never told me the things you have done wrong. Seth, I really don’t think that it’s right for us to continue seeing each other anymore, I need to know the real you.He looked at her for a second, then simply nodded his head, his eyes showing that he was defeated yet open. "Alright," he said quietly. "I’ll tell you everything."The things that Seth had locked away in his soul the sins he committed, the regrets he had, the wounds he boreP
Phoebe sighed and there was a tiny glimmer of hope, as small as a flame that attempted to fight against the wind. Then I’ll take my time to decide.” And while I do, I need space, Seth. I have to find out who I am apart from this relationship, and what I want in my life.Seth nodded and a look of sadness, yet comprehension crossed his face. "I understand. I’ll be here… whenever you’re ready."Phoebe simply looked at him and then got up, the pressure of the evening squarely on her shoulders. She left the room and stood at the door staring at him for a moment. You were right to tell me the truth, Seth. It means much more than you may think.”She departed and the quiet that followed seemed to expand, suffocating the room with the aftertaste of the conversation we just had. And as she stepped out into the cool night air, Phoebe felt a strange sort of liberation, a sweet bitter taste of freedom that is born from the awareness that one owns one’s own heart.In the next few days, Phoebe burie
She sat and looked at the message, her heart racing. Seth had not called her after that conversation, he had not tried to see her or talk to her as she had asked him to. But now, he was reaching out, and something about the pureness of his message made a combination of curiosity and fear rise in her. She did not think for long and then she decided to go.And it was getting late when the sun was setting and painting the park in the warm golden light and Phoebe walked up to the bench by the lake. She saw Seth standing close to her, he was still a silhouette against the dimming light. He looked round as she came up, his face gentle and thoughtful.“Thank you for coming,” he said, his voice was polite as if he was the one begging the guests to come over.Phoebe simply looked at him, her eyes still wary but she finally agreed. “What is it, Seth? Why now?”Seth sighed deeply and raked his fingers through his hair. I understand that you wanted to be alone, Phoebe. I wanted to respect that. B
Phoebe breathed out and looked away, out the window where the sunlight was streaming in and warming the table they were sitting at. “Seth... He’s complicated. It’s not something that can simply be wiped out clean, there is a history there that cannot be done away with. But there is another part of me that sometimes thinks that the only way to be able to move forward is to let go.Sarah inhaled and chose her words very wisely. Phoebe, people don’t get manuals when they are born, and no one ever told me that I should be happy. Sometimes, we are compelled to make decisions that are not black and white. But I can notice that you are also struggling to carve out your own niche for yourself and that is what really counts.Phoebe beamed a gracious look at her friend. “You’re right. This is the first time I feel like I am really finding out who I am, what I want not what others want me to want.They settled down and remained motionless, taking the liquor, each woman engrossed in her own medi