Chap. 28 Reeling in the Catch
The harsh snow rushed around him like a wave, pummeling him…destroying him…and he gave himself to the howling God of the winter winds of his own accord; the swirling winds encircled his arms, his body, his soul as it prepared him for the ultimate sacrifice—a preserving of the pain-wrought heart, beautiful in its utter desolation—as a gift to the God of Time and Death. Slowly. Slowly, but Closer came the inevitable end…an end to the wrenching heartache…
No…
Two arms went around him, warm and vibrant with life. You're mine, that grip seemed to say, I've finally brought you here to me.
For one blessed moment, Eriol thought it was Tomoyo holding him—Tomoyo who had come through the frigid snow to save him—Tomoyo who had come to show him that everything had been a bad nightmare, brought about by his paranoid mind. But the hands, though so alike, were not his wife's—the nails were painted a vivid, vermilion red, a hue that could only mean…
"Katherine," he said aloud, first in a ghostly whisper, then in a poison-laden voice. He wrenched free in a burst of energy he did not know was existent within his self-induced lassitude and whirled around, expecting to see an expression of haughty laughter or scorn on her face; to his surprise, he only saw a solemn smile. "Now is not your time," she said gently, "now is not your time to go."
"I choose my own time," he said wearily, "don't interfere. You are, after all, the one who brought this heartbreak upon me."
"I?"
"You."
"Perhaps a clarification is in order. I'm in love with you, Eriol," she said softly, tears flowing down her pale, beautiful face. "Maybe, at first, I was jealous and I did want to break you and Tomoyo apart. But I'm human…now that you're feeling it, you could understand my pain at having someone torn away…but I swear to you, I did give up on you after that moment of childish revenge. I tried to forget—I swear I did!—but I couldn't!
"But Eriol, despite my anger, I never really betrayed you. Whatever I did, I did it openly. You must realize that I never lied to you; your wife's jewelry, her unfaithfulness, I told you truthfully at my own risk"—her voice broke in a display of desperation—"I never meant to cause you pain! I just didn't want you to be an ignorant fool, while people gossiped behind your back…."
"Please…all I ask of you is a chance…please…….."
Please.
That word brought back memories of the past….
Tears ran down his wife's face. " Please…Can't you love me just a little? Just one more time?"
His vehement and harsh response: "Get out of here."
He remembered how he had wanted to give in, how he had wanted to ignore everything laid before him and pretend once again.
"Please," Katherine repeated tearfully. "Please. Let me help you forget. Let me comfort you."
The need to forget and the strange, paradoxical desire to have forgiven his wife at the remembered point in time….they overwhelmed him. Maybe…just maybe he could go on. Maybe she could help him erase these memories from his head….and maybe, for the first time, he could say…yes….
But, nevertheless, he was still surprised at the word that came out of his mouth: "Yes."
In the distance, a blond-haired man smiled as he watched the interaction between his two pawns. "Ah, Katherine, what a splendid actress you are," he sighed, stretching as if he had merely been watching a movie—or a play, as is more appropriate at that time. "Such a poisonous little kitty." And, as if she had heard his words, Katherine…smiled….