(08
Handling traffic accidents abroad can be such a hassle. Thankfully, Alastair was raised by his grandmother and spoke English fluently, which made things a lot easier. With his help, the insurance claims were processed smoothly. As fate would have it, the office I rented turned out to be a property owned by his family.
In the office, I carefully pressed a bandage onto a small cut on his forehead.
“There, all done. Just make sure not to get it wet for the next few days and keep the spices out.”
“I don’t know,” Alastair said, shaking his head. “That’s tough here in Dubai. Almost everything has spices in it.” Feeling a pang of guilt and it was my fault, after all, I blurted out, “Well, I can make you. You know what? Just drop by at mealtimes and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”
He didn’t hesitate to nod. “All right, thank you. By the way, I don’t think I caught your name?”
“Irene. Irene Osborne,” I replied, smiling. Angela–the name tied to my old self–was buried with my past.
From then on, Alastair started visiting often. His casual drop–ins slowly became a comforting routine and we grew close as friends.
One evening, after dinner, we sat in the garden gazing at the stars. The air was cool, the silence between us filled with unspoken words. Suddenly, Alastair pointed to the brightest star in the sky.
“What if I could take that star down and give it to you?”
Amused, I tilted my head. “How are you going to do that? It’s too far off.”
He smiled mischievously and gently placed a hand over my eyes. His warm breath brushed against my ear as he whispered, “Like this.”
When his hand lifted, there it was–a diamond ring glinting under the starlight.
Alastair knelt down on one knee holding me we me w
aful smile
10:35 AM
ג
Love Like an Abyss
Alastair knelt down on one knee, holding the ring toward me with a hopeful smile.
“Irene, will you be with me?”
His bright green eyes were brimming with expectation, as if the entire universe rested on my answer.
My heart ached, but I shook my head. “Alastair, I… I can’t.”
He was a good man, but I couldn’t take the gamble. Not after being abandoned twice before.
Alastair didn’t push me. Instead, he tucked the ring back into his pocket and let out a soft, resigned laugh. “I guess I was too hasty. I’ll wait until you’re ready.”
I wanted to tell him not to wait at all, to move on. But the hurt in his eyes made the words stick in my throat. All I could manage was a faint nod.
After that night, things went back to normal–or so it seemed. Alastair acted the same, but I couldn’t help feeling
guilty whenever he got too close.
Today, I hadn’t told him my best friend was visiting, yet somehow he found out and showed up, eager to help. The sun was blazing outside, so I ushered my friend inside to cool off while Alastair continued unloading things
from the car.
When I returned, he was drenched in sweat, his forehead glistening under the harsh sunlight. I grabbed a towel
and handed it to him. “Thank you, for helping us out. Here, you’re sweating a lot.”
“Is your friend hiding a corpse in her suitcases? They’re heavy.” He reached up and tapped his forehead, smiling lightly. “My arm’s bit sore. You mind?”
The air practically crackled with his scent. My face went red and I stood on tiptoe, reaching for him. Just before
the towel touched to his forehead, someone shouted.
“Angela, stop!”
The voice sounded familiar. I turned to see Brian rushing toward us, his face unshaven, his amber eyes clouded
with desperation. He looked like a vagabond who’d borrowed someone else’s suit.
Alastair stepped in front of me in protective manner. “Who are you?” his tone sharp.
Brian glared at him, then turned to me with pleading eyes.
“I’m her fiancé! The man she loves more than anyone else!”
I stopped in my tracks, stunned by the ridiculousness of his claim. It was so out of the blue that I couldn’t even
react. Then his gaze lock onto mine in longing.
“Come on, Angela, tell him. Tell him I’m your fiancé!”
Without wasting a second, I shook my head and clasped Alastair’s hand tightly. “Come on, let’s go. He’s clearly delusional and has me confused with someone else,” I muttered, pulling him inside without a backward glance.
