Chapter 25

When Deirdre woke up, Penny had already left for work. She knew that her daughter would need time to process what she just learned. All of a sudden, she remembered that Paul was coming by. She jumped from the bed and got ready as quickly as she could. Not a few minutes had passed, when she heard the doorbell.

''Paul… Welcome'', she said a little anxious. ''Come in. Can I get you anything?''

''No, thank you. I came to see you, because I think it's time we talked''. She sat on the sofa and asked him to sit next to her. For a while they looked at each other without speaking. They did not have the courage to start a conversation that still hurt them both but Deirdre decided to make the first move.

''I know that I caused you so much pain and I'm sorry. I made the mistake to give in to my father's pressure. I wish I hadn't! I wish I had the strength to fight for us! But I got scared. I was so naive to think that he was dying'', she said with sadness evident on her face. ''He fooled me. It was all planned from the start, in order to make me change my plans. When I found out about it… It was just before the engagement, as I recall… I couldn't take it. You were already gone and I was stuck in a situation, from which I couldn't get away. And then I saw that there was only one solution: To find the strength to leave. It wasn't easy. I had to give up everything. But I made it. I packed my things and ran away. I settled here, studied and had my daughter''.

''You made no contact since then?''

''I only saw them once. Few weeks before the baby was born, I broke up with her father and I had a really tough time. I was terrified… I felt alone in this world and a child was coming… I didn't have the power to deal with this. That's when I decided to return home. I surely didn't expect a warm welcome but I didn't expect their reaction either. They said that since I made my choice and left my family, I had no place in their house. I lived my own life, so I had to deal with the concequences. My problems were not theirs to solve. So, I came back here and raised Penny on my own. My brother is the only one who stood by my side all these years''.

''I'm sorry to hear that… I had no idea you went through so much'', he said touching her hand lightly.

''There's no point in thinking about it now'', she replied sighing. ''This is all in the past. Tell me about you. How have you been?''

''I've been living in New Zealand since then. I have a nice home near a forest and I'm truly content. I think this is how I always wanted to live. Free, surrounded by nature… This is where I wanted to live with you''. Deirdre lowered her head hiding the sorrow she felt thinking about all those years she could have spent next to him.

''I wish I could turn back time! I would never let you go. We could be together, have a family. Penny could have been your daughter… But I made one mistake after another''.

''Don't feel sorry, Deirdre. What's done, is done. You can't change the past. You can only change the future with the choices you make'', he said pulling an envelope from his pocket.

''What is this?'', she asked him.

''When I agreed to follow Andy back home, I wasn't sure about my intentions. I had no idea how I would feel when I saw you again. Would I be willing to go back to a situation that had caused me pain? I thought that I wouldn't look at you the same way ever again. I thought that I was over you a long time ago. But yesterday… Everything changed… I mean, nothing has changed. That's the point… When I looked at you, I felt exactly like then''.

''Oh Paul…''

''I wanted to offer you a ticket back then but you never got it'', he said and Deirdre's eyes filled with tears. '' If you want it, this ticket is yours now. Well, what do you say? Will you join me? Will we now do what we should have done years ago?''

''Oh Paul… I wish I could go with you but I can't. My child lives here. I can't leave Penny'', she confessed and he caressed her cheek.

''I'm not asking you to leave your daughter. I'm asking you to come and live with me for a while. Just the two of us, as we planned''.

''I'm sorry for what I did, Paul'', she said holding the ticket tightly. ''My heart was breaking as I was saying those horrible words to you. I was so ashamed of myself. How could I treat you this way? I have never forgiven myself''.

''It's alright. I have''.

''My love…'', Deirdre said bursting into tears and fell in his embrace. He held her in and tried to calm her down with his tender touch. They remained like that for a while reminiscing all those lovely moments they spent together, which hadn't faded with time.

''I still love you'', he whispered and Deirdre lifted up her head towards his face, closed her eyes and kissed him. Despite the fact that the last time they kissed was years ago, at that moment it felt like it was yesterday. When she looked at him again, she realized that she would not leave him. She could not stand losing him for a second time.

''Paul, I really want us to be together and not separate ever again. We can go wherever you want. I would follow you to the edge of the world''.

''Indeed, my love. We're going to the edge of the world together'', he said with a smile.

A few days later at the airport, Paul and Deirdre were saying goodbye to their families. He hugged his siblings but this time saying goodbye was very different from that morning when he left them to their uncle and went away all alone. Because this time he had Deirdre by his side. She, of course, was even more emotional saying goodbye to her daughter and her brother, who was so glad to see his little sister happy at last. When they heard it was time they boarded, they hurried to the gate. As she walked away, Deirdre turned around to look at Penny once more. It was the first time they wouldn't see each other for such a long time and she had mixed feelings. But seeing her smiling next to the man she loved, she felt calm. Her eyes fell on Andy's face and she secretly whispered 'thank you'. Both for Paul and Penny. He nodded with his head, as if saying 'don't worry about Penny, I am here'. Indeed, she did not worry anymore. She felt calm. She felt that her child was in good hands.

THE END