Every You, Every Me
"Let me go, Ivo. Let me just walk away and never see me again. Let me have a clean break."
He stared down at the moonlit sea, his face almost completely hidden in the night shadows. "Ah," he said, sighing heavily. "I don't know." He brought his cigarette to his mouth, the intensity of the orange glow brighter still when he inhaled. I shivered, thinking he could burn me.
"Please, Ivo!" I begged. He sounded as if he were trying to be reasonable. I meant to play to that reason before the situation got out of hand.
"Could I be wonderful? Could I let you go? Say, 'Bless you, my child, go and be happy with your new sweetheart'?" He paused, considering the possibility and then delivered the final blow. "No. I could not do that."
"Why not?" I cried, desperation taking hold. "How can you still want me knowing I don't want you anymore?"
"How?" He sounded surprised. "I'll tell you how. Because I don't believe you know what you want. You've had a jolly time with this woman whom you've known all of ten days and think somehow she will make you happy. But you do not know her and God knows she doesn't know you. How could anyone know you when you don't even know yourself? You will be with her a month, maybe two, and then you'll be chasing after someone else or crawling back to me. No, I will not let you make that mistake. It would be far too damaging to you and to me."
"And I suppose you know me?" I shouted, not caring if anyone heard.
"Yes," he laughed softly, taking another deep drag from his cigarette. "Yes, I believe I know you very well."