Final Act

Act IV - Final Act

If Harry recognises the torrent of emotions that his words have unleased on Suki, he doesn't acknowledge it.

He talks for a moment in a low hum, moving the topic on to the safer ground of the theatre, of plays that have been performed there, various other things that Suki can't absorb.

Why had her marriage ended?

It is a simple question, one that she can always find vague words to answer, but now, sitting here with Harry's honest admission, she can see the truth; it was purely because she couldn't handle the happiness. She had to sabotage it before it was ruined. Subconsciously, it was better for her to end it on her terms than let Harry decide years down the line that he didn't want her.

She stares up at the stage, barely able to see through the filter of tears that blur her vision. On that empty stage, where she first watched him perform, she can almost imagine their marriage played out like a tragedy.

Harry's quiet talk trails off and he sits beside her in utter silence, looking up at the stage as though he can see what she can.

It's a long, long while before she slowly stands. Harry sits a moment longer, looking up at her before he copies the movement. They make their way in silence back over the stage, along the dark corridor, back through the dressing room. Suki pauses for a moment to glance at Harry's illuminated mirror, the spot where it all really began, before she turns into the white-washed corridor.

Suki gathers her jacket tightly to her chest, trying to give Harry an easygoing smile that she knows is far too watery. She has too much to think about.

"I'm glad you came." Harry smiles. He looks down at her with sadness. Affection softens his gaze. "I'm sorry if it upset you, but it would have been terrible to not say goodbye to someone that I loved so much."

"I'm sorry for-"

"Don't be sorry." Harry smiles, those dimples pressing deeply into his cheeks, even as his eyes look damp with emotion. "Be happy that we had what we had. Go off into your future and leave me here, behind you. The past doesn't always have to be bad. Sometimes what we had is enough now, even if wasn't enough then."

Suki nods, turning for the door, half wanting to stay.

"Goodbye, Suki." Harry says softly.

"Goodbye, Harry." The words leave Suki's throat in a torn whisper. She turns to the exit before changing her mind. She'd about to spin back to Harry when the exit door next to her swings open.

Magenta, Harry's friend, stands behind it gaping up at Suki.

"Suki?" Magenta sniffs heavily against the cold, frowning up in surprise. "Are you ok? Someone called me about a strange car parked up here and I thought I should investigate... Especially with the theatre reopening next month-"

"Oh, I didn't mean to worry you." Suki drags the cuff of her sleeve roughly across her lower eyes, trying to absorb the stem of tears.

"It's no bother." There's an element of curiousity in Magenta's voice and she steps in to the corridor, out of the cold.

"We were just looking around, I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not... This was where you met, wasn't it?" Magenta says quietly.

"Yes." Suki nods, pushing down the well of emotions.

"I've felt him here this past week." Magenta says suddenly. "I wondered if it was because of the connection to you-"

"What?" Suki frowns trying to make sense of the jumbled words.

"Harry. I've felt him here."

"Well he's here right now." Suki laughs softly.

'In a sense-"

"No, in reality!" The half laugh on Suki's lips trails off at the look on the other woman's face.

"Suki, darling..." Magenta's eyes fill with tears. "You know that isn't possible. Harry died last week."

"What?" The words leave Suki in a gasp and her heart thrums as she turns to the spot behind her, where Harry should be.

There's no one there.

"He was... He was just here..." A strange numbness floods her senses. Magenta is talking softly, wrapping her arm around Suki's waist and pulling her into the car park, but Suki can hear nothing, absolutely nothing, but the echo of the voice that just wished her a sad goodbye.

**

Somewhere deep within the theatre, the ghost light flickers.

Fin