The Sums of Us

Lost in Translation

(JOSEPHINE)

Don't you know I'm no good for you?
I've learned to lose you, can't afford to
Tore my shirt to stop you bleedin'
But nothin' ever stops you leavin'

Quiet when I'm comin' home and I'm on my own
And I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that
Yeah, I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that
But nothin' is better sometimes
Once we've both said our goodbyes
Let's just let it go
Let me let you go

(When the Party's Over, Billie Eilish)

London, June 2024

The news never cease to stop. The headlines kept on getting fancier everyday. On the final week before I left for France, they started getting nastier. They began their attack on him. Vigorously.

'Hardin Scott & Hero Fiennes Tiffin: Fuckboy made in London'

'Fiennes Men Talent in Women Department'

'Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Girls He Dated'

'Did Hero Just Lick Back His Words on Herophine Is Not Real He Spilled Years Ago?'

'Hero Fiennes Tiffin: Which One Better? In Bed or In Acting'

'A Men Who Had Flings Fancier than His Movies'

'Hero Fiennes Tiffin Spotted in South London Park with an Unknown Girl. What Happened to Herophine?'

'Good Pedigree Ensures Fame, Projects and Girls. Ask Hero'

All were malicious and defamatory. The same way they did me in those articles. I knew he will keep to his words. I just know it. So those articles can go to hell for all that I care.

I remembered he told us during dinner that night at Ralph's about his next filming. It was a war movie and he would be filming in Portsmouth for a month. We parted on that night with him taken an Uber to meet his friends. Or so he said. Which I knew he was bluffing. I knew why he took Uber. He wanted Martha to send me home without him following us. He must had known I didn't want him to know anything about my personal life anymore, in particular where did I lived. Martha seemed divided but she remained silence. Perhaps she wanted to be with me more that night. So he left with Uber. No proper goodbye between us except we nodded to each other with our solemn faces. That was all to it. Strictly professional. Just the way he liked it.

We had a long talk. Martha and I. She apologized profusely for making me come that night. I told her I wanted to come because I missed her and Ralph. I said I cherished the moments we had together. What happened between me and him was another thing and it wouldn't deter me from having relationship with her, Ralph and Mercy. I assured her I was all right and we had a good talk that night to settle our issues. She mustn't be worried about us. We were dealing maturely about it.

Then I asked her not to worry about the pap's incident. We got it and we would ignored the medias. I told her, we owed nobody any apology, explanation nor clarification. She seemed more relax, her mood lighter and she sounded happier. Funny when I recalled later, how easily for me to go back to use 'we' instead of me and him. As if we were back to those years working as a team. Yeah, desperation could do that to you. It could make you agree to work with people you despised in order to face mutual enemies. For us, the mutual enemies was the paps and someone behind the paps. Whoever that imbecile could be.