THE STUBBORN FIANCE

I don't know if picking up this phone was a nice idea. But I didn't know he stayed on the line all those long hours. What was he thinking?


"Hi," I respond finally.

"Is Mr. Riccaford okay? What happened?" He queries, massaging his streamed beards.

"He suffered an episode. But he is okay now," I respond.


He nods, taking a minute to scrutinize me. "And you? You don't look well. What's up?"

What's up? How should I respond to that? That "us" is the problem. Maybe what I ran away from months ago might have been waiting for me back here? That our chances of being happy together are closing down on us with every passing minute? What happens after tomorrow night? The story of Damian and I will come to an end. What will become of me, him, and us? Is this the end of us?


"I am okay, love. Don't worry about..."

"You can ask me anything, but not that. I can't stop worrying about you. Talk to me, Ellie. I know you are bothered. What is it?" He insists.

"I... I am okay, Damian, really. Aside from what is happening to my father, of course," I lie.

A lie that he can't buy.

"Aside from that?"

I knew it. How can I give a convincing lie if I am feeling the weight of what is awaiting us tomorrow? Tomorrow holds our fate. I don't want to lose him for anything, but I cannot kill my father just for my happiness. The worst part is that I can't share this with him because he will go insane.

"Nothing. I will be fine, really." I insist on my lie.

He half nods and half wiggles his head. Clearly, he knows nothing else is bothering me. Something that I cannot tell him. "Do you need anything? Just anything?" he asks.

I need a lot. I need someone to wake me up from this nightmare. From the nightmare of my father's ailment and from the nightmare of our uncertain future. I need someone to tell me everything will be fine. My father will heal really soon, and neither he nor Damian will get hurt. I will not lose either of them. "I want to hear you say that you love me as much as I do, Damian. And that, no matter what, you will never doubt my love." I speak with a heavy chunk in my throat after a long while.

Maybe I need to hear it for the last time? I am hurting badly. My heart is breaking into pieces, and I am afraid it might never be whole again after tomorrow. Nobody can take his place in my heart. No one!

"I will tell you tomorrow."

"TOMORROW?!" I leap to my feet, shocking the shit out of him. Not tomorrow for freaking sake!

"What is wrong with tomorrow?" He queries, his tone deep and demanding.

Damn me! I had forgotten that we were planning on him coming by tomorrow before I ran to my father in the afternoon. And with all the plans my father has made for tomorrow, Damian cannot be here. He should not even be in the city because I am afraid news travels so fast. And if he gets wind of this, he might storm in here, and I don't want to imagine the chaos. It would be catastrophic. He can't come.

"Not tomorrow, Damian," I begin, looking for some lies to tell him, but nothing comes to mind aside from the obvious. 'Um, my father is still in bad shape, so I don't think it is a good idea. Maybe we can move this to some other time," I rant, and I can see it through his eyes on the screen that I am confusing him more.

"Love," he says with a defiant tone that is making me shake with fear, 'I am not coming to meet your father. It is you I am coming to see. I won't even show my face to him because I understand the situation. We talked about this before you left to attend to your father a few hours ago. What has changed? Why does it feel like you don't want me to come?"

Shit! What more lies do I have to tell him? I can't seem to come up with any convincing lies. Besides, he already knows I am lying. I can't keep making a fool out of myself by adding a crystal-clear lie on top of another.

"Just know that you can't come tomorrow, Damian. Let us talk tomorrow at night." I sound as serious as I possibly can, albeit with a lot of weight in my heart.

"I am sorry, Ellie. I have already prepared to leave tomorrow. I will see you tomorrow, and this is not up for discussion. If you can't tell me what is happening over there, then I will have to find it out myself."

Holly God of thunder, no! Don't let this happen!

"Damian, no! You don't understand. Please..."

"You don't want to make me understand, Ellie! I will see you tomorrow. And you don't have to worry about your father. I know that he doesn't need to see my face right now, but you and I need to talk ASAP. This can't drag any longer! See you tomorrow, love!"

"No, Damian! Wait. You can't."

The screen goes blank black! Be drops the call. Leaving me to freak out here. He just can't come here. I once insulted the Riccafortes by running away from the supposed engagement party. I can't imagine what my father had to go through that day with all the embarrassment. I can't cause another drama. The insults will be too much for such a reputable family. And papa? He can't take any more drama, for fucks sake! I can't even leave his side tomorrow to cry out loud! Damian can't come here tomorrow.

I try to dial his number, but it goes straight to voice mail.