The road less taken
Episode 1: A mistake
It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Heather had no need, and no right, to fall for him. He was taken, he had already shared his vows with someone else. But Heather, she couldn't control how she felt about Alejandro Burromuerto, the man who married Courtney Hernandez just a year ago. She and Alejandro agreed to meet at the shopping district.
"So...you and your wife?" Heather bites her lip. She can't say what's on her mind.
"Man, my marriage is on the rocks..." Alejandro sighs. "I've got bills, my job is a hassle, and me and Courtney are just...drifting apart, you know?"
"I'm sorry to hear that..." Heather pats Alejandro on the shoulder.
"I mean...I'm just...I don't know what I'm gonna do..." Alejandro sighs. "I'm just so sick of waking up next to someone I...I just don't feel it anymore..."
Heather looks away. Alejandro buries his head in his hands.
"I mean, we started out fabulously, but now? She's always so busy..." Alejandro looks up to the sky. "I don't think I love her anymore..."
Heather gasps.
"Alejandro..." Heather starts trembling. It is now starting to snow.
"Heather...I made a mistake." Alejandro looks her in the eyes. "I never should have married her..."
"I know...I'm sorry..." Heather's lips tremble. She knows this is wrong...
"I really hate how my life is going..." Alejandro sighs. "Heather..."
Before he can say anything, Heather surprises him with a kiss on the lips. The two feel like a jolt of lightning is going through their bodies, and the conductor is their lips. Everything stops moving for them, time ceases to exist. There is only them, in a giant void in time and space, those two all alone in the Universe.
Heather slowly breaks the kiss, her eyes reflecting her confusion.
"Heather..." Alejandro's breath becomes heavier. He trembles with passion.
"Alejandro..." Heather slowly backs away from him. "I'm...sorry..."
Before he can say anything, Heather runs away from him. He calls out to her, to no avail...
Meanwhile...
"So...you're married?" Justin tries his best to fake being happy for the woman he loved, Courtney.
"Just last year." Courtney smiles sweetly at Justin. "Alejandro makes me happy."
"Yeah, I know." Justin answered just a little too quickly. "I'm happy for you."
"I know you are." Courtney sighs. "Thanks..."
"Juts...you know." Justin half heartedly chuckles. "Surprising, you know? I mean, I was out of town for a while..."
"I've been married a year." Courtney sits down on the swing next to Justin. It is now starting to snow.
"Yeah...yeah I mean, that's good." Justin smiles, but his eyes reflect sadness. He sits down next to her. "I...I'm happy for you."
"You don't sound very happy." Courtney's eyes are full of sadness.
"Well...It's...kind of complicated..." Justin sighs. "It doesn't matter, OK? I'm just happy you're happy."
"I didn't mean to hurt you..." Courtney sighs. "I mean, I know sometimes I can be..."
"No, don't apologize, Courtney, please." Justin looks up at her. "Just be happy, OK?"
"I am. I mean, sometimes I'm so busy with work, but Alejandro is so supportive." Courtney wistfully sighs. "He stands by me. Any other man would have left me by now..."
"I wouldn't...I mean, I wouldn't worry about that." Justin looks away. "You have a terrific husband, Courtney...I mean it."
"Justin...I know how you feel about me." Courtney gets up. "I'm flattered...but you need to move on. I'm happy, and I want you to be too."
"I'll try." Justin gets up as well and walks away from Courtney. "Have a nice night, Courtney."
"Justin!" Courtney yells out at him. "Plenty of fish in the sea! I'm not the only woman in the world! The right one for you is out there!"
"Sure thing!" Justin gives her a thumbs up as he walks away. He spends a whole half hour walking under the snow. Stnading below a lamp post, shivering in the cold, he sighs. "But none of them will be like you...I don't know if...I should have stayed..."
Justin walks towards the pier. He sees a figure standing alone, looking at the water. As he walks closer, he sees that the figure is a woman with long, flowing hair. Suddenly, he recognizes her. "Heather?"
"Justin...?" Heather gasps. "I thought you left town forever!"
"I came back..." Justin sighs. "My heart...never mind."
"Hey..." Heather places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We missed you."
"I thought if I left, I'd be able to find what I wanted in life." Justin sighs. "When I finally realized it, I was too late."
"I'm sorry..." Heather sighs.
"What about you? What's got you so down?" Justin looks at Heather. His breath is taken away by her raven black hair flowing freely in the wind, the gentle snow slowly falling onto her milky white skin, and her almond shaped eyes reflecting such sadness. It is her eyes that have gotten his attention so much.
"I'd rather not talk about it..." Heather tightens her coat for warmth.
"Hey, let's get out of here, this snow is getting heavier." Justin offers Heather a hand. "Mind if I walk you home? It's not safe to be out alone at night."
"Sure..." Heather and Justin walk under the snow for a good fifteen minutes. Heather suddenly stops. "I...I think...Justin? I think...Uh...how would you like to go out for a coffee sometime? Catch up to what you've been doing all year while you were away?"
Justin sighs. He thinks about what Courtney told him. "Sure...anytime...How about we call each other and set up a date and time?"
"Sure.." Heather gives Justin her cell phone number. She smiles as she watches Justin mark it down and save it on his phone. "Well...I gotta get going home now, I don't live too far from here. Hey Justin? It's good to see you again."
"Likewise Heather." Justin smiles as he watches Heather walk away. He starts walking towards the motel he was staying in. He enters his room, takes off his jacket, and sits down on the bed. "Plenty of fish in the sea...Maybe I should move on..."
Meanwhile...
Courtney sighs. She enters the apartment she shares with her husband. "Honey, I'm home..."
Courtney takes off her coat. She walks towards her bedroom, where she finds her husband already half asleep. "Tough day, sweetie?"
"Yeah..." Alejandro sighs.
"Want to talk about it?" Courtney takes off her sweater, revealing the tank top she was wearing udnerneath.
"No...I just want to chill..." Alejandro sighs, turning his back to his undressing wife. He takes out his cellphone and sends someone a text message...
Heather arrives at her apartment. She takes off her coat when suddenly she hears her cellphone beeping. She picks it up. "A text...from Alejandro?"
Her heart races with excitement, but her fingers tremble with doubt. Should she see what he says? She opens up the text. It reads: "I can't get you out of my mind."
Heather almost falls to her couch upon reading the text. Another one arrives. She opens it. It reads: "Can I see you tomorrow?"
Heather trembles. Her throat is dry, her eyes darting back and forth. She thinks everything over. She texts back: "Okay, how about a coffee at 5?"
She sends the text. She drops herself on the couch, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest...