"Good morning, ma'am, we call from the hospital where a member of your family is hospitalized, we just wanted to inform you that she is all right now and that there's no danger whatsoever, you can come as soon as you have time." The voice said from the receiver.
Chiara left out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thank you, ma'am, goodbye." She said as if she had done her a favor, and then hung up. She looked around and did not notice that she had a huge smile on her face; she began to jump, to dance, she was so happy that everything had fell back into place. But suddenly something changed. She stopped in the middle of the living room, in front of the window and began to sob. "But Colin is not with me.." she said with her head down. Big tears began to fall down her cheeks. She knelt on the ground and brought her trembling hands in front of her face, as if she were ashamed of someone. She cried for a long time, and when she finally got over it, she wiped her eyes and tried to convince herself that they would meet again, that she would have him in her arms again. But the circumstances were difficult for both. She had school, he had a job and a family of his own. "Oh, but it's all so complicated! I can not keep hoping to have a married man and much older than me. I'm just a little girl, I do not think I can be a lover.. I have to forget Colin, and even if it breaks my heart, it is the only thing to do. " she stood up with difficulty and threw herself on the bed, falling asleep immediately.
Meanwhile, in the gray London, Colin was thinking about exactly the same thing. He could not leave his children and his wife, and it would have been too difficult to continue to meet with her. Even though his love for her was literally above all things, he could not do it. "Forget me," he whispered at the window, "you have to forget about this old man who cannot have you.. forget about everything we've been through. Forget us "a tear fell down his cheek. They were both torn apart, with crying hearts and graying souls. It was all over. True happiness, which they had experienced with that unexpected encounter, the passion of the first and last kiss, the tenderness of the caresses. They had the same life before them, the life they had always lived before the meeting in that restaurant.
"Chiara, are you asleep?" her mom came home about two hours later and found her still sleeping. "Your aunt is fine, we have to go and get her back home because Marco is at work."
Chiara stood up dazed and without understanding anything, but then remembered and returned to having the usual feeling of sadness inside her.
They left shortly afterwards for the hospital and when they arrived, they found the aunt in the wheelchair but she had regained color. The girl ran to meet her and embraced her carefully, to avoid hurting her. "I'm so happy aunt! For a moment I thought I'd lose you." she whispered to her after separating from the embrace. "My darling, I am happy too, indeed very happy! I missed you so much.. you have to tell me a lot of things!" And having said that, they helped her to get up from the wheelchair and drove her back home. During the journey they talked about this and that, about what they had or had not lived.. But Chiara always had that emptiness inside that she was trying, in vain, to fill with a laugh. The aunt noticed that and, once at home, asked her to talk to her about it.
"Aunt, I can not have Colin anymore, although it's the thing I want most in the world, and you know I never demand anything, but him yes, I really claim him, but I realized it's all impossible, he has a family and I have school.. not to mention the age. It would not be a problem for me but for him I think it is. I'm upset because the truth, that's all. " she held back her tears with difficulty, but she convinced herself that if she cried she would not solve anything. Her aunt looked at her sadly for a while, then said to her: "I'm sorry, really, I never thought you'd come to convince yourself of such a thing.. well.. you wanted Colin for a long time, and now that you've had him 'throwing it away' it's a very difficult thing to do and I'm proud of you. But listen to me: if you want, we can always send him an email and maybe if he's nearby he can reach you! " she chuckled hoping to make the girl happier, but when she saw her sadder than before she apologized. "It's alright aunt, only I do not think that a meeting could improve anything." She left the room and opened the door, she noticed Marco with a bouquet of flowers for her aunt. "Is she here?" he asks. "Yes, she will be happy to see you" and having said that, she let him in.
She left the house to get some fresh air. She did not live in a big city, so she managed to think without distractions. She was sure that only one meeting with him would do her nothing but harm. * I think I'll have to forget you for real then. But know that you will always be in my heart, Colin. Always. * she said to herself as she walked slowly back home.
