DESTINED FOR ETERNITY

JULY 1983

CHAPTER 37

Robert heads down to the beach in the same direction that Luke had walked. Before too long, he spies Luke sitting in the sand staring out into the water. As Robert gets closer, he senses Luke's dispair and lonliness. For a brief moment, Robert catches his breath at the site before him. No matter what mean spitefulwords has beenexhanged between the two of them, Robert did not want to see Luke heartsick.

"Luke?" Robert says as he walks closer.

Turning to see Robert standing over him, Luke says, "Do you know what I have been sitting here thinking about?"

Sitting beside Luke on the sand, Robert replies, "How much you feel betrayed by Holly and myself. Especially myself, I would imagine."

Luke manages to grin at just how much Robert really knows him, better than anyone else ever had. "Yes." Luke answers. "At first, that was exactly where I was going. I figuredthat was the only way to explainall ofmy anger and resentment. But now, all I can feel inside is this deep lonliness, Robert. There isn't any anger or betrayal.And the really ironic part is that it is all my fault."

Looking out onto the ocean, Robert says softly, "Not entirely. I'm sure I could have handled this whole thing with a little more understanding. It's just that I had never been in love like this before," Robert attempts to explain. "I really didn't have a clue as to what I was saying or doing half the time." He grins a little. "I'm still not too sure of what I am doing."

Luke manages to laugh with him. "I know what that feels like." He gets quiet once more. "I pushed everyone away from me, Robert. I used my inability to walk as an excuse not to come home. I didn't want to face any of the people that I loved or who loved me. But now I realize that I had to have an excuse for running away to begin with. That is what I have been facing and it didn't take me very long to find the answer."

"Laura?" Robert asks sadly.

Luke stares at Robert in surprise. "You knew?" He asks.

"Well, I have stood back and watched you since Laura's death. I saw you become involved with Holly and I don't deny that you cared for her a great deal, even loved her. But it was not like the love you shared with Laura.And when you became really serious about Holly, your guilt started eating away at you. You started pushing Holly away and tried to blame her for everything that happened between you."

Luke nods in agreement. "And when I went up to that mountain I just wanted to distance myself from Holly as well as everyone else. During my recovery, I realized that I just couldn't close myself off from everyone who cared for me. Laura wouldn't want me to do that."

"No," Robert agrees, "She wouldn't."

Luke draws a breath with a sarcastic laugh. "So I decided I would just walk right back into Holly's arms, never even dreaming for one moment that she would move forward with her life."

"We didn't want to hurt you, Luke."

Luke turns to stare at Robert, and he looks at him through different eyes than he had recently. "I know you didn't" Luke replies. "And I am sorry I put you two through so much hell. You and Holly were meant to be and I sincerely give you my best wishes for a happy life. And, believe it or not, I really do mean that."

Robert shakes his head and laughs. "Admit it, Spencer.Would you have ever thought that I, Robert Scorpio, one of the world's most confirmed bachelors, would fall head over hills totally in love? If anyone, including you, had told me that a year ago, even six months ago, I would have laughed in your face."

Luke looks off into the distance. The sun is beginning to set over the ocean and itis a beautiful site, but for Luke he only sees sadness. "I hope you never have to lose her, buddy. It is the worst feeling in the entire world, and the most lonely."

Knowing that Luke is remembering the love he shared with Laura and the loss he still feels at losing her, Robert also realizies Luke is also grieving the loss of Holly as well. Deciding it best to just sit quietly and not reply, Robert and Luke both stare out over the water. After some time has passed, Luke finally turns to Robert.

"Would you mind if I talked to Holly alone? I really need to apologize for so much."

Robert reads the sincerity in Luke's eyes. "Sure. I will go get her." As Robert stands up and turns to leave, Luke stops him. "Robert, I hope you will accept my apology as well. I want us to be friends once again. I have really missed you. Nobody ever understood me more."

Robert manages a mischievious grin. "Well, somebody has to be on your side, mate." Taking a more serious note, Robert says seriously. "I have never stopped being your friend, Luke. You have nothing to be sorry for. We both said things we shouldn't have and we regret them. But I will always have your back, just as I know you will mine."

Luke smiles. "Yea, you are right."

Robert walks off and Luke feels as if a heavy burden had been unloaded. He never realized how deeply he had felt the loss of his best friend these last few months. It felt good to get part of himself back again.

Holly is sitting in a lounge on the patio when Robert walks up. She rushes to meet him.

"How did it go with Luke?" She asks curiously. "Were you able to get anywhere with him?"

"Actually, Luke was able to get there all by himself," Robert answers.

"What do you mean?" Holly asks in confusion.

"Actually it is kind of sad," Robert explains. "He is making peace with alot of things, mostly losing Laura."

Holly goes into Robert's arms and he folds her into his warm embrace. "Luke has lost Laura, you and then me. Three important people in his life were lost to him. It is going to take some time but he will be okay."

"I hope so," Holly replies.

"Facing his feelings is much better than running from them, which is what Luke had been doing." Robert tells her. "And he asked if he could talk to you alone."

Holly looks up at Robert in wonder and surprise. "Why?"

"He needs closure, Luv. He needs to tell you that he is sorry. But if you don't want to it is okay."

"No," Holly replies, "It is all right. I hate it that he is hurting."

"I know," Robert agrees. "Me, too." Leaning down he gives her a tender kiss. "Maybe after all of this, we can look forward to the future instead of looking back at the might have beens."

Smiling at him, Holly says softly, "I love you, Robert."

"And I love you," He replies as he kisses her passionately.

Holly walks down to the beach and finds Luke gazing out at the beautiful sunset. She immediately notices the sad, wistful expression on his face.

"Luke?" Holly says softly.

Turning to look at her, Luke gives her asmile. "English," He replies and he holds out his hand for her to take. When she places her hand in his, Luke pulls her down to sit beside him on the sand.

"You know," Luke begins, "I have known for some time now that things weren't going to work out for us. I just didn't want to admit it."

Holly looks out at the sea. "Me, too," She admits.

Luke stares at her intensely. "I wanted it to work, Holly." She turns to look at him. "I really did want it to work," He repeats. "I did love you, but . ."

Holly interrupts him. "It's okay, Luke. And I finally understand."

Luke is perplexed. "Understand what?" He asks in confusion.

"All through our relationship, through all the bad times, I just automatically thought that as long as you loved me and I loved you, then everything was possible for us." Holly tries to explain.

"English, I wish it had been different. If I could change it, I would," He insists.

"It is okay, Luke. Because now I know that even time and love would not make you learn to trust me. Without the trust, we could never hadmake it, no matter how many times we would try," She says.

Luke looks away from her, feeling a deep sense of guilt for what he had done to her. "Oh, Holly, it was more about myself than it was ever about you. I am sorry for the pain I caused you."

Holly manages a smile. "You know, when I fell in love with Robert it was totally unexpected. I did not plan for it to happen, Luke. But if just felt so right that I couldn't help myself. I hated myself for being able to get over you so quickly. So when you returned I chose you, trying to prove to myself, as well as you, that I still loved you. But by then . . . " Seeing the sad expression on Luke's face, Holly stops before completing her thought.

"By then it just wasn't the same," Luke finishes for her.

"No, it wasn't," She agrees. "I thought maybe those feelings would return, but it only made me hate myself worse for coming between you and Robert." Turning to face Luke, she stresses, "Robert doesn't hate you, Luke. None of this was his fault, please believe that."

"I missed Robert," Luke admits. "Even more than I realized. And I really hope that the two of you will be happy together," He adds.

Holly smiles happily. "We will be." She says without reservation. "I know we will be."

Luke looks into her eyes. "Hold onto him, English. Hold onto him with everything you've got. Don't waste a second of your time together. Because it is the worlds worst thing to lose your soulmate."

Knowing that Luke is speaking of losing his Laura, Holly takes his hand in hers. "I hope you will make peace with yourself Luke. You deserve to be happy. I 'm sure that is what Laura would want, too."

Luke smiles at her and suddenly pulls her into an intense kiss. "Thank you, English. And you and Scorpio deserve to be happy, too."

Holly laughs. "If it hadn't been for you, Robert and I may not have found one another. I am grateful for that."

After they sit in silence for a few moments, Holly says, "Why don't you come with me to find Robert and we can all go out to dinner?"

Luke smiles. "Thanks, but I will take a raincheck. I have a return flight scheduled in a few hours, but in the meantime I would like to just be alone."

"Okay. If you need anything, Robert and I are right here."

Luke kisses her cheek. "Thank you, Holly."

Returning to the bungalow, Holly finds Robert anxiously pacing the floor as he waits for her. Seeing the look on her face, he automatically opens his arms and she quickly walks into his embrace.

"Are you okay?" He asks softly.

"Yes, I am," She says with tears in her eyes. "It is finally finished. I only hope Luke will be able to put this behind him and find his own happiness."

"Me, too. Where is he?"

"Just sitting out there looking so lost and alone. I asked him to come have dinner with us, but he wanted to be alone. His flight leaves tonight." Holly explains.

"It does feel good to get this all settled," Robert agrees.

Smiling up at him, Holly puts her arms around his neck. "Our future is wide open for us. Absolutley no limits for our happiness."

Robert gives her a gentle kiss. "I always knew where I wanted my future to be, and who I wanted it to be with."

"With me of course," Holly says with a laugh and gives him a kiss.

"Naturally," He agrees.

Holly looks at him, her face beaming with love and adoration. "You always knew, didn't you? You always knew we belonged together."

Robert touches her face gently. "I knew," He answers. "I could only hope that one day you would feel it as well. We were meant to be, Holly."

"Yes," She says. "We were destined to be together," She states.

Holding her tightly, Robert says, "Destined for Eternity" He murmurs as he bends down to give her an extremely passionate kiss.