by L. W. Clark
Maximillian?
Now he was standing right in front of me, looking at me with a dry expression. It was hard to believe he was the same person I knew from years ago. He looked wise, with mature facial features. The young man I knew had transformed into a man. The man I once loved so much. He was looking at me, observing me, just like I was doing to him. When he smiled, his eyes had the same sparkle, except with a few lines. I felt I knew him and at the same time, I didn’t. He was the man I had known so well, and now he was someone I just met.
“When I heard your voice, it sounded familiar and then … I saw you,” he said. “I can’t believe my eyes. You haven’t changed at all. How are you?”
“I’m very well, thanks. How about you?”
Rachel must have something to do with this. She sends him over instead of coming here herself? I’m not feeling too good about her right now.
“I’m shocked to see you,” he said. “I feel like I’m dreaming.”
I hear him but I’m a little disoriented. I’m not sure what to say. Oh …
“You look so different,” I said.
“Yes, I got older.”
“Yes, but it’s a good older look.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“So, what brings you here? Do you know Mark?”
“Mark? Oh, you mean the artist of this exhibition?” he smiled broadly, and I saw the 17-year-old Max. “Honestly? I don’t know much about art. My wife asked me to come with her and surprisingly, she’s late. I just spoke with her. She’ll be here any minute.”
While we talked, his eyes would wander around, looking for his wife. I followed where he looked. I wanted to see who she was, who was chosen by him, and what she looked like. But it was tough looking through the crowd. Finally, his eyes locked-in. He waved to her and went to greet her. He kissed her on the cheek, took her hand and walked towards me.
“Here she is, finally!” he said. “Darling, I want to introduce you to someone. This is Alyssa. Alyssa, this is my wife Rachel, Rachel Beasley.”
Rachel?
THIRTY-FOUR
It was early the next morning when I kissed Gilles goodbye and got in the car. I was on my way to the airport, taking a flight to visit my home and see my family and friends. I was happy, nervous and excited. After the plane took off, I pulled out the letter from Rachel, to read it again.
Dear Alyssa,
I’m writing to you to be honest, as a good friend would do. Maximillian and I have been married, living together and raising our beautiful daughter, who we both love very much. But it’s not about a child or anything else when it comes to two people together in what we call marriage.
I believe it’s all about love, trust and respect, and together they equal happiness. If one of them is missing, then there is no happiness. I love Max as a person, but I’m not in love with him. We are completely different people, in many ways. We are good friends, but not good lovers.
I have found my love. It’s a beautiful feeling which every human being wants, and I hope everyone will experience it in their lifetime. I want to see Maximillian happy and so in love, as I am today. We had many great times together. Fun days and sharing our thoughts and supporting each other. But I have known for a long time that he can’t give me true love because he’s always loved you. I thought about leaving him, for my own love and happiness, but I want to leave him as a happy man, and in love.
We both tried to make it work but there’s no human being on the planet who can convince someone to change how they feel. When I randomly found you, I became so happy that I could do something that would give him a chance to be with his real love again.
It wasn’t a nice thing that I did, with my acting, and playing all the games with you. But I did what I thought I had to do. I hope you can forgive me.
Warm regards,
Rachel
In early 2003, Mark and Gilles announced they were a couple. They had a beautiful celebration of their love in Lake Como, Italy, at Gilles’s new summer villa. It was just like a wedding, but without the marriage license. Max and I arrived a few days before the wedding and stayed in Milan. He wanted to take me there so we could have a fashion experience together and see all the sights like the Milan Cathedral, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper,” and an opera at La Scala. We stayed at the Four Seasons, which is one of his favorites. Not only was it a beautiful hotel, it’s also a magnificent work of art.
When we were kids, he hated it when I watched fashion TV, but I always tried to convince him to watch it with me. He used to say I should just move to Milan to see real fashion instead of watching it on TV. I’m not sure how he knew about Milan’s fashion style, but he was right.
Milan was impressive. Walking on the Monte Napoleone on a Saturday afternoon was like attending many fashion shows by many high-end designers, all at the same time. Living in Manhattan with Gilles, I had an expensive, high-end wardrobe, and I saw many wealthy people dressed fashionably. I would never think that I’d be amazed by fashion somewhere else, but I was. Milan was pure fashion. You wouldn’t even consider leaving the hotel without looking your best.
“Let’s go see a movie tonight,” Max said while we had breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
“See a movie in Milan?” I asked. “It would be hard to understand. I don’t speak Italian. Do you?”
“No, but it would be like old times, when we used to go to movies. Remember? We wouldn’t even watch the movie completely. We were too busy kissing.”
“Yes, let’s go for some kissing then.”
“It would also be interesting to watch a movie and try to figure out what’s happening, without the translation.”
“OK, is this a new experiment or something?”
“It’s a new life.”
Space Cinema was the name of the movie theater. It was old and small but beautiful. The seats were a little uncomfortable, but it had a cozy atmosphere. Of course, the movie was in Italian without subtitles. Only the name of the movie was easy to understand. Primo Amore. Everyone knows primo and amore right?
“I can’t believe you found a movie with this title,” I said.
“When I was searching the movies, I saw the name and I couldn’t believe it, so I just bought the tickets. I have no idea what the movie is about though.”
We sat in the middle of the last row. The place was crowded with loud Italians. They would talk to each other even during the movie. But we didn’t care. We couldn’t understand a word anyway. We tried to watch, then we snuggled, and I closed my eyes.
Max woke me up and told me it was rude of me that I wasn’t taking the movie seriously. We laughed for so long I had to leave the auditorium for a while to calm down. I went back inside and we both became quiet and romantic. He held me, and I put my head on his shoulder, like I used to do. I got chills when he kissed me, and this was it. I closed my eyes again.
I hope the guy doesn’t kill that girl. He seems weird.
Then I heard loud screaming from the actor, and I thought I should see what was going on in the movie.
Why bother. I won’t understand anyway.
When the screaming got even louder, I raised my head and watched the movie. She was standing naked in front of him and he was screaming at her. Who knows why?
“This is the movie that you chose?” I whispered. “It’s a little disturbing. Can we leave?”
“Only if you marry me,” he said.
“Really, do you mind if we leave?”
“Really, will you marry me?”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Yes. I love you. I always have and I always will.”
Now we became like the chatty Italians, talking louder until we heard “shhh” from all sides. We left the theater, taking a long walk as we talked about our childhoods, our more recent adventures and our future, together. That night we stayed up until sunrise to celebrate our love, which had never died.
More than two hundred guests were invited to Gilles’s and Mark’s cele
bration. It was an unforgettable day for all. It was the celebration of the love, trust and respect that brings happiness to human beings. We were all together that day, to salute and enjoy life.
Max and Rachel’s daughter Lola was a flower girl. Rachel’s new boyfriend Santiago Cano, a Spanish painter, was one of Mark’s ushers. I was just a guest with my fiancé.
“I’m so happy that you’ve been so understanding about Gilles and me,” I said to Max. “You’ve shown him respect. Thank you for that.”
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. He helped you in so many ways, and it led to us finding each other. So why wouldn’t I respect him? And thank you for your respect and friendship with Rachel. I appreciate that.”
“Well, if not for her, I wouldn’t be here either. She’s the one who discovered me and reconnected us. Why wouldn’t I respect her?”
Like I said … people? We’re all connected.
About the Author
“I live where I truly belong. I will never leave this unconditionally loved, and most beautiful island called Manhattan.”
- L.W. Clark
