What Wasn't Said
By
Sarah E. Gridler
Disclaimer: Characters property of Hanna-Barbera, this story is written by a fan, for fans, and not for profit, unless. . .nah.
Categories: A, R&E HR
Archiving permission granted, but, Suze, you already knew that, right? g
And now. . . .on with the story. . . .
A gentle rain had begun to fall, leaving the sky bleak and grey. The rain pounded against the roof and windows of a rented beach house. Outside the house, the surf pounded the shore in thunderous crashes. Inside the room, Race Bannon and his exwife Estella Velasquez sat, on opposite ends. On Estella's side of the room she sat in a cushioned window seat, staring out into the gloom. "I'm sorry. . . " she whispered, facing outside, but intending the words to be directed to Race.
Race sat in a chair against the opposite wall, hands clasped firmly over his stomach as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Why? Why now? Why all of a sudden. . . ?"
Reluctantly, Estella turned from her window. "Race, I never meant to hurt you, it's just that, we can't be together."
"Estella, I love you, I care about you, we can make this work.. . ." began Race, looking hopefully, expectantly over at Estella.
"No." Sighing, Estella finally raised her eyes and looked at Race, who was watching her intently. "I care about you too, I always have. And I always will. But, Race, I don't want to be with you. I can't do that to myself again, to us."
"What do you mean? I'm out of the agency, and if it bothers you, I'll quit Quest Enterprises, I want to be with you, Stella, wherever you are."
"It won't work. You, quit Quest Enterprises? Race, be realistic. You can't, couldn't give that up, even if you had to. Benton is your best friend, and working for him has become a driving force for you, like the agency once was, and the Navy before that. There is no room for me in your life, just as I have no room for you in mine."
"Estella. . . Of course there's room for you, there always will be. . ." Race began, standing up, walking towards her, and reaching out to hold her. "I love you. . . we came here to be alone, to make up. . . I love you. . . "
Estella pushed him away. "Race, I am going, this is it."
"Why did you come here? Why didn't you tell me this before we came here? Before we. . ."
"Race, no, please. . ."
Race reached out and grabbed each of her shoulders, turning her so she faced him again. "Answer me, why?"
"I. . . I. . .I wanted to believe this would work, but we both know it won't. I wanted to have. . .a few more days with you. . . but, it's over." Estella let out a deep breath, and hung down her head, unable to look Race in the face. "Please, let me go. . "
Race looked at Estella, his face white, his eyes watching her face intently.
"Race, this is it. It's over, no more of this. Let me go."
Stunned, Race's hands dropped to his sides and he watched Estella turn and walk back to the front door. Grabbing her rental car keys and suitcase, she opened the hotel room door and walked away from Race. She didn't even turn back to see him standing in the window, she just drove off, and away from Race.
After the car had left his sight, the realization hit him that Estella had not said she loved him. For the first time in his life, the strong, powerful, reliable, stoic Race Bannon felt tears fall freely down his face. And also, for the first time, he truly believed that any chance at life with Estella was over.
(c) 1998 By Abby Normal Productions
By
Sarah E. Gridler
Disclaimer: Characters property of Hanna-Barbera, this story is written by a fan, for fans, and not for profit, unless. . .nah.
Categories: A, R&E HR
Archiving permission granted, but, Suze, you already knew that, right? g
And now. . . .on with the story. . . .
A gentle rain had begun to fall, leaving the sky bleak and grey. The rain pounded against the roof and windows of a rented beach house. Outside the house, the surf pounded the shore in thunderous crashes. Inside the room, Race Bannon and his exwife Estella Velasquez sat, on opposite ends. On Estella's side of the room she sat in a cushioned window seat, staring out into the gloom. "I'm sorry. . . " she whispered, facing outside, but intending the words to be directed to Race.
Race sat in a chair against the opposite wall, hands clasped firmly over his stomach as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Why? Why now? Why all of a sudden. . . ?"
Reluctantly, Estella turned from her window. "Race, I never meant to hurt you, it's just that, we can't be together."
"Estella, I love you, I care about you, we can make this work.. . ." began Race, looking hopefully, expectantly over at Estella.
"No." Sighing, Estella finally raised her eyes and looked at Race, who was watching her intently. "I care about you too, I always have. And I always will. But, Race, I don't want to be with you. I can't do that to myself again, to us."
"What do you mean? I'm out of the agency, and if it bothers you, I'll quit Quest Enterprises, I want to be with you, Stella, wherever you are."
"It won't work. You, quit Quest Enterprises? Race, be realistic. You can't, couldn't give that up, even if you had to. Benton is your best friend, and working for him has become a driving force for you, like the agency once was, and the Navy before that. There is no room for me in your life, just as I have no room for you in mine."
"Estella. . . Of course there's room for you, there always will be. . ." Race began, standing up, walking towards her, and reaching out to hold her. "I love you. . . we came here to be alone, to make up. . . I love you. . . "
Estella pushed him away. "Race, I am going, this is it."
"Why did you come here? Why didn't you tell me this before we came here? Before we. . ."
"Race, no, please. . ."
Race reached out and grabbed each of her shoulders, turning her so she faced him again. "Answer me, why?"
"I. . . I. . .I wanted to believe this would work, but we both know it won't. I wanted to have. . .a few more days with you. . . but, it's over." Estella let out a deep breath, and hung down her head, unable to look Race in the face. "Please, let me go. . "
Race looked at Estella, his face white, his eyes watching her face intently.
"Race, this is it. It's over, no more of this. Let me go."
Stunned, Race's hands dropped to his sides and he watched Estella turn and walk back to the front door. Grabbing her rental car keys and suitcase, she opened the hotel room door and walked away from Race. She didn't even turn back to see him standing in the window, she just drove off, and away from Race.
After the car had left his sight, the realization hit him that Estella had not said she loved him. For the first time in his life, the strong, powerful, reliable, stoic Race Bannon felt tears fall freely down his face. And also, for the first time, he truly believed that any chance at life with Estella was over.
(c) 1998 By Abby Normal Productions