“You’re from Bellum,” he breathed, shaking his head. The faint hint of a memory crossed his mind, forums and silent laughter to not disturb the neighbors, but it was gone. He supposed it didn’t matter, because she was a part of his dream. “I haven’t, forgive me for being skeptic about this all.” He attempted to look patronizing, but couldn’t continue. With a heavy sigh, he let his head fall. “And bitter. I’ll admit it – I’m bitter.”
Her agreement and smile was enough. Taking another deep breath, he motioned for her to sit down, right there and the rocks. “It’s a long story.” A spread blanket appeared below them, red and well-used, but thick enough so that the rocks didn’t poke through. He moved to the end, legs crossing as if this was story-time in preschool. Hands leaving his pockets, they rested on his knees until he was sure Helena was settled.
There was silence, only the sound of the waves and their breathing, as he sought for a place to start. Only two people knew about him and neither had the full story – a man had added to the story and died before it was completed. A woman who saved him wasn’t told of the Count of Monte Cristo, nor the money of the man from before. He shut his eyes, mind going back until he began.
“There was a woman – most things are started because of one.” He was being frank, not intending to offend her and he shrugged. “She was…wonderful. Intelligent, beautiful, with a kind word for everyone….” And he laughed, still in disbelief after all these years.. “And she loved me. Back then, she loved me and I loved her. We were going to be married, once we were out of college. We were too busy to do it before, but we didn’t mind. We were happy, always fucking happy.” He shook his head, looking to his hands. “We couldn’t even fight, I’d go to the bar for ten minutes and then she’d be running in begging for forgiveness. Or I’d chase after her, falling to my knees to apologize.”
He looked up, meeting Helena’s eyes. “I was good friends with a man at the time – he came from money, knew how to lie, but I liked him. He was different from what I’d grown up as. And he wasn’t half-bad when you got to know him” His mouth twisted into something bitter. “I knew he was interested in her, but I didn’t think much of it. I didn’t think he’d have put me in jail because of it.”