Reason to Stay
Elsa thought she had left jealousy behind, a long time ago.
But she realised nothing had changed. Nothing at all.
Her heart hammered loudly and everything felt to be going in a slow motion as her eyes met Georg's exquisite blue ones.
It had been quite unexpected to see him at the party. It had been such a long time but Georg looked handsome as ever.
He smiled at her. A slightly lopsided smile which she had come to adore over the years. He extended his hand out to her as if urging her to take it.
Elsa moved towards him, mesmerised; almost zombie like. She was close. She was very close. But then someone else came along - the other woman. Another familiar face with short golden hair and a slim figure.
The other woman placed her hand in his and they walked away, leaving Elsa behind.
That smile wasn't for her. It was for the other woman.
Elsa watched them from a distance. She felt frustrated and filled to brim with jealousy.
She saw Georg rest his hand on the small of the other woman's back.
The way they looked at each other with so much love, Elsa wondered whether she had ever even got half of that look from him.
Then she saw Georg whisper something into her ear and she saw a slight blush creep upon the other woman's cheek.
They laughed together at their very own private joke which nobody else knew.
It was indeed frustating.
As the music filled the ballroom, he asked her to dance. They were playing the Laendler.
It was something about the way Georg held her by her waist. It seemed almost possessive, as if he was afraid to let her go.
The memories flooded back to Elsa as if it were yesterday. A simple argument between Georg and the governess had changed everything.
She could picture everything quite clearly.
The way he had sang to her, the way they had shared their first dance on the night of the party... And how could she forget the smouldering glances they had shared so often...
It was too painful. The green monster rose inside her once again.
Elsa had secretly hoped to see Georg sometime once the pain of their separation had eased. But she never saw him in Vienna after they had called off their engagement and she had returned to Vienna.
She remembered the conversation they had had when he had brought her to his home in Salzburg to meet his children...
"Oh, I do like it Georg. It's so lovely and peaceful. How can you leave it so often?" she asked.
"Oh, pretending to be madly active, I suppose. Activity suggests a life filled with purpose." said Georg.
"Could it be running away from memories?" she asked.
"Or perhaps just searching for a reason to stay" said Georg.
Elsa almost felt like an intruder watching them but howsoever she tried, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the pair.
But now she knew the answer.
Now she knew why she never saw him in Vienna after they had parted their ways amicably.
It was because Georg had finally found a reason to stay which he had been searching since long - the other woman. His children. His family. The people whom he loved and cared more than his own life.
END
