Part VII: Shattered Dreams
"Rachel, I'm home!" It was already 3 in the afternoon when Gillian finally made her way home.
"I'm in the living room, Gill." Rachel was laying on the couch, covered in a blanket. She was watching some silly talk-show.
Gillian ran into the living room and gave Rachel a big hug. "Oh Rachel, I'm so happy. I had the most incredible night. This man is simply gorgeous, actually he's too good to be true. I still can't believe it." Than Gillian gave a detailed report about everything that happened last night, making sure not to leave out any of the slippery details. Although Rachel didn't really care too much about hearing that, there was no way to stop Gillian. Once she began talking, she couldn't find an end.
"… and you know what's pretty cool, too? He is the head archaeologist of the MET, he's working on an Egyptian exhibition at the moment. Oh, and you should see his apartment, it's amazing…" Gillian rambled on about his job and how wonderful his apartment was.
Rachel grew a little suspicious. He was working at the museum? And he was preparing an Egyptian exhibition? Could it be the guy she bumped into….? No, it most be a coincidence. But what if he was? Rachel's pulse began to beat higher. Ever since they met, not a single day passed by on which she wasn't thinking of him. This man just wouldn't get out of her mind. The longing to see him again was almost unbearable. She never told Gillian about him, because she felt so silly. After all, she didn't even know this guy and he had acted like a psycho. Gillian wouldn't understand …
There was only one way to find out if it was the same man. Rachel swallowed hard, she didn't dare to ask but had to: "So does this wonderful man has a name?"
"Of course. How silly of me, I completely forgot. His name is Christopher – and let me tell you: he's an incredibly good kisser. I was pure wax in his hands…"
'No! NO! This can't be true! Please god don't let it be true. Maybe it's another Christopher. I'm sure there is more than one working there. There must be!' This was a lame explanation and Rachel knew that. Than she remembered the guys face who picked up Gillian last night at the bar. Now she knew why he looked so familiar to her. It was the same guy who pulled Christopher away the day they had met.
"Rachel, I think I'm in love."
That was too much. Rachel couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
"Hey what's wrong with you? Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Gillian. I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for you. You have been looking for someone for so long and now it seems you finally found your Mr. Right." Rachel just had to lie, she didn't have the guts to tell Gillian the truth.
"Oh Honey, but that's no reason to cry. I'm sure, you'll find the right one some day. You are such a wonderful and sweet person and you are so pretty. You just have to be patient."
'If you only knew, Gillian. If you only knew….' Gillian handed Rachel a tissue to wipe away her tears. 'How pathetic I am. To imagine this guy had felt something too, that he might have been interested in me. Well, he obviously wasn't.'
"Gillian, if you don't mind I'm going to lay down for a while. I'm still not feeling so well and I need to be rested for work tomorrow. It's really great that you found such a wonderful man. I'm very happy for you." Rachel felt as if she would burst into pieces any minute. She needed to get out of Gillian's sight.
In her bedroom she threw herself at her pillows and began crying. She knew that this was stupid, after all she hadn't lost anything.
'How could he do this to me?' What a silly thought. It's not like he had any obligations towards her. Than why did she feel as if he betrayed her? Was she that lonely? She never felt lonely before. Her live was complete until this cursed day at the museum. Why didn't he let her go?
At this moment she swore herself never to tell Gillian the truth. It didn't matter anymore. All she wanted was her friend to be happy and she obviously was. Rachel never wanted to see him again. Of course this wouldn't be possible, if Gillian and him would stay together, she'd have to meet him eventually. The tears came back again. This was the worst scenario she could ever imagine.
This day she didn't dare to talk to Gillian again. She was afraid she'd break down and tell her everything. Things like this could ruin a friendship.
"Damn you, Christopher." Finally Rachel closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Half an hour later the phone woke her up again. She could only hear pieces of the conversation but Gillian sounded worried.
"…he had done what? Oh my god! Is he alright? … Yes, I know where that is… Is he still there or did he go home already?… Ok…..Right… Thanks David. I will go there right now. Thank you for calling."
Carefully Gillian pocked her head into Rachel's room to see if she was awake. Rachel quickly closed her eyes, she knew that this was a childish behaviour, but she still didn't feel like talking to Gillian.
Rachel heard how she was taking a piece of paper to write something down. Gillian set the note on the desk and left the apartment.
The curiosity was too strong. Rachel got up to see what she had written. She picked up the note:
Rachel, I had to go to the hospital. Chris got injured during his work. I don't know if I'll be home tonight. Maybe he needs my help. Love, Gillian.
Rachel took the note and ripped it into pieces. She felt anger grow inside of her. Why Gillian and not her? She had to cry again. It was wrong to be mad at Gillian, it wasn't her fault.
'That's enough. No more tears. I'm stronger than that.' She picked up the paper from the floor and tossed it away. She would just have to learn to deal with this situation, there was no other way.
To be continued
"Rachel, I'm home!" It was already 3 in the afternoon when Gillian finally made her way home.
"I'm in the living room, Gill." Rachel was laying on the couch, covered in a blanket. She was watching some silly talk-show.
Gillian ran into the living room and gave Rachel a big hug. "Oh Rachel, I'm so happy. I had the most incredible night. This man is simply gorgeous, actually he's too good to be true. I still can't believe it." Than Gillian gave a detailed report about everything that happened last night, making sure not to leave out any of the slippery details. Although Rachel didn't really care too much about hearing that, there was no way to stop Gillian. Once she began talking, she couldn't find an end.
"… and you know what's pretty cool, too? He is the head archaeologist of the MET, he's working on an Egyptian exhibition at the moment. Oh, and you should see his apartment, it's amazing…" Gillian rambled on about his job and how wonderful his apartment was.
Rachel grew a little suspicious. He was working at the museum? And he was preparing an Egyptian exhibition? Could it be the guy she bumped into….? No, it most be a coincidence. But what if he was? Rachel's pulse began to beat higher. Ever since they met, not a single day passed by on which she wasn't thinking of him. This man just wouldn't get out of her mind. The longing to see him again was almost unbearable. She never told Gillian about him, because she felt so silly. After all, she didn't even know this guy and he had acted like a psycho. Gillian wouldn't understand …
There was only one way to find out if it was the same man. Rachel swallowed hard, she didn't dare to ask but had to: "So does this wonderful man has a name?"
"Of course. How silly of me, I completely forgot. His name is Christopher – and let me tell you: he's an incredibly good kisser. I was pure wax in his hands…"
'No! NO! This can't be true! Please god don't let it be true. Maybe it's another Christopher. I'm sure there is more than one working there. There must be!' This was a lame explanation and Rachel knew that. Than she remembered the guys face who picked up Gillian last night at the bar. Now she knew why he looked so familiar to her. It was the same guy who pulled Christopher away the day they had met.
"Rachel, I think I'm in love."
That was too much. Rachel couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
"Hey what's wrong with you? Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine Gillian. I'm sorry. I'm just so happy for you. You have been looking for someone for so long and now it seems you finally found your Mr. Right." Rachel just had to lie, she didn't have the guts to tell Gillian the truth.
"Oh Honey, but that's no reason to cry. I'm sure, you'll find the right one some day. You are such a wonderful and sweet person and you are so pretty. You just have to be patient."
'If you only knew, Gillian. If you only knew….' Gillian handed Rachel a tissue to wipe away her tears. 'How pathetic I am. To imagine this guy had felt something too, that he might have been interested in me. Well, he obviously wasn't.'
"Gillian, if you don't mind I'm going to lay down for a while. I'm still not feeling so well and I need to be rested for work tomorrow. It's really great that you found such a wonderful man. I'm very happy for you." Rachel felt as if she would burst into pieces any minute. She needed to get out of Gillian's sight.
In her bedroom she threw herself at her pillows and began crying. She knew that this was stupid, after all she hadn't lost anything.
'How could he do this to me?' What a silly thought. It's not like he had any obligations towards her. Than why did she feel as if he betrayed her? Was she that lonely? She never felt lonely before. Her live was complete until this cursed day at the museum. Why didn't he let her go?
At this moment she swore herself never to tell Gillian the truth. It didn't matter anymore. All she wanted was her friend to be happy and she obviously was. Rachel never wanted to see him again. Of course this wouldn't be possible, if Gillian and him would stay together, she'd have to meet him eventually. The tears came back again. This was the worst scenario she could ever imagine.
This day she didn't dare to talk to Gillian again. She was afraid she'd break down and tell her everything. Things like this could ruin a friendship.
"Damn you, Christopher." Finally Rachel closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Half an hour later the phone woke her up again. She could only hear pieces of the conversation but Gillian sounded worried.
"…he had done what? Oh my god! Is he alright? … Yes, I know where that is… Is he still there or did he go home already?… Ok…..Right… Thanks David. I will go there right now. Thank you for calling."
Carefully Gillian pocked her head into Rachel's room to see if she was awake. Rachel quickly closed her eyes, she knew that this was a childish behaviour, but she still didn't feel like talking to Gillian.
Rachel heard how she was taking a piece of paper to write something down. Gillian set the note on the desk and left the apartment.
The curiosity was too strong. Rachel got up to see what she had written. She picked up the note:
Rachel, I had to go to the hospital. Chris got injured during his work. I don't know if I'll be home tonight. Maybe he needs my help. Love, Gillian.
Rachel took the note and ripped it into pieces. She felt anger grow inside of her. Why Gillian and not her? She had to cry again. It was wrong to be mad at Gillian, it wasn't her fault.
'That's enough. No more tears. I'm stronger than that.' She picked up the paper from the floor and tossed it away. She would just have to learn to deal with this situation, there was no other way.
To be continued