Chapter Thirty - Eight

lineae parallel - Parallel Lines'


March 15th 1990

14.56pm

Henry stood at the bottom of the pathway to Elizabeths house; the last time he was here she told him it was over. It was nearly a year ago to the date; three days away to be exact. He took a deep breath and inhaled the spring air as he began to take slow steps towards the house. The season of spring is triumphing; its vibrant flowers dancing in rows, a soft fragrant breeze lingers in the misty air, which derived from its winter crispness. Fresh morning dw relieves the greenery from its icy frost and the new buds gaze up intently at the crystal blue sky just as the grass sports from the concealed earth. Spring had the ability to bring new radiance and life to all it touches, a second chance for growth.

Henry stood nervously at the front door, he tried to peak through the front window but the curtains were drawn. He held out his hand forming it into a ball as he knocked and waited patiently. He rocked back and forth on his feet as he knocked again, his nerves getting the better of him the longer he waited.

'Come on Elizabeth, please be in' he sighed as he knocked again, this time a little louder.

'Are you after that tiny little blonde?' A man called out. Henry stepped back and looked across the grass and spotted Elizabeths neighbour

'Yes, is she in?'

'No sorry you just missed her, literally like ten minutes ago'

'Oh, do you know when she will be back?' Henry asked

'Oh I don't think she will, her and some man just moved all her stuff out. Looks like she is moving somewhere if you ask me. They seemed happy about it though, shared a little moment just before she left. Sweet girl that one' The elderly man smiled as Henry nodded and thanked him for the information.

Henry took a step back and looked up and down the street. Ten minutes wasn't that long, she could still be within the area he thought but then he registered the latter half of that conversation. 'Some man just moved all her stuff out. Looks like she is moving somewhere if you ask me. They seemed happy about it though, shared a little moment just before she left. Sweet girl that one' Some man, Shared a moment, Some Man….

Henrys heart sunk into his chest, he felt like all the air had been knocked out of him. She had moved on; something he never contemplated happening. His mouth ran dry as his hands began to shake, the soft noise of rattling paper caught his attention. He looked down at his hand and remembered he was holding an envelope containing a letter for her; a letter he had finally written but couldn't send. He gripped the letter with both hands as his tears threatened to fall; he had lost her for good. He slipped the letter back into his inside jacket pocket and walked back off towards his car, he silently vowed in that moment to never fall in love again.

Fifteen Minutes Earlier

'Right, I think that's it' Elizabeth smiled but her tone was flat. She stood in the empty living room in her old home; one that held many memories of her time at UVA and just after. She huffed as she looked around, her shoulders dropping as the breath left her mouth.

'Come on, you haven't even lived in this house since September last year' came the soft tone of a male voice, he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

'Oh I know that it's just… well….' She fumbled with her words

'Just say it' came the blunt but reassuring response

'Well I never thought my landlord would sell up; I always assumed I could keep renting it. Plus I would have liked to have come back when I get some annual leave'

'Yes, but you have a home and a life in DC now; stop lying to yourself Elizabeth. He isn't coming back' he sighed sadly and watched as she walked out of the house, he followed closely behind her.

'Oh George… but he knows I live here, he doesn't know where I live in DC' she broke her heart as she spoke, her words full of emotion that drown her. She took a moment to herself to lock the door and slip the key through the letter box.

'I always wondered if when his deployment finished he'd come and find me, if we could do it again' her eyes glistened as she looked her friend in the eyes

'Come here' he pulled her in for a hug and kissed her head softly. He glanced over and spotted her neighbour watching them, he stepped back and held her upper arms

'Come on let's go to DC, you've got us, me, Juliet and Isabelle, the 'spy friends' and we've got lots of tequila' he teased her and she rolled her eyes but nodded.

'I need to let him go don't I?' She admitted out loud, George knew she was processing information and not necessarily looking for a reply. He squeezed her hand and headed to the car, allowing her to take a moment to herself. She took one final glance at her old home, she remember the moment Henry stood outside soaked from the rain almost one year ago; she was so angry at him that night, but she would give anything to go back to that moment and let him stay. She silently vowed in that moment to never allow herself to fall in love again.

She walked away and climbed into the car, she looked down as George drove off, in the distance the weather looked hazy and misty, but in the mirror behind them it was so clear. Thats the thing with spring time; it explodes with colour and opportunity to thrive, it's new, exciting and full of hope and joy, but it's the season that is full of chance, clear blue skies one day and then dark, cold storms the next. She looked down into her lap as thoughts of Henry consumed her; they were both like parallel lines, always close but never together. Elizabeth swallowed back her tears as she squeezed her eyes shut, spring was not the season for her, she much preferred the autumn, autumn of 1988 to be exact.