Bold Captive

Chapter 6

Sometimes things get so tough that nothing remains but to make a choice and determine one's fate. As no one can know the future for sure, the possible consequences have to be weighed carefully, very carefully. But even then, the outcome can be quite different to what was expected, and it takes a lot of time to clean up all of it.

Did Youri know this when he was young? Well, not really. He had to learn it through the years, and even now, when he should be an example to the young, he didn't really feel like one. He always felt like he was doing something wrong, but couldn't understand what it was.

He didn't always have someone to ask for advice, and even when he did, he felt afraid to say what the problem was. But he didn't want to do everything by himself, except when he felt like there was no other way out.

Fortunately, it didn't affect much of his life. It didn't affect the way his friends and family treated him, however, it didn't make his life any easier.

Neither did the fact that now he was retired help him live better. He was always afraid something could slip out of his hands. This wa because he didn't feel like his life had become easier after he stopped working as a waiter.

He quit this job because he felt like this couldn't go on any longer, and he hoped for a better life. But unfortunately for him, it was taking too long to arrive.

Now, one of his friends, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, called him and asked him to buy some wine and chocolate and send them over. Why did he need them? His friend said that his oldest grandson had just turned eighteen years old, but spared any details.

"How can I know which wine and chocolate you need?"

"Well, pick the best ones you find, I don't think it's too difficult".

"Are you sure I can get them to you by this evening?"

"By this evening? Why?"

"Well, celebrating can never be delayed".

"That's true, but take your time and don't worry too much".

Youri said something more, then left to the shop which was located within a few miles from his house.

But when he was halfway there, a young girl pulled her head out of her car and shouted:

"Sir, you're blocking my way! I can't get out and I'm in a hurry!"

"Listen, I'm in a hurry too, and I'm much older than you, so don't you dare telling me what I have to do".

"I didn't tell you to do anything, I just asked you for a favour. Is that too much?"

"Yes, it's too much. I know that your generation doesn't want to respect mine, but your behavior can't be justified".

"Yours can't either. Do I have to be stuck here forever because of you?"

"No, it looks like I'm going to be stuck here forever because of you".

And they kept arguing for a few minutes, both refusing to let each other through.

Another girl, almost the same age as her, was having a good time with her university friends, but it was in Ireland, although she was born in Switzerland and lived there until the age of four years.

Her parents had a small estate in a village near Dublin, and she got this estate, being their only child. Now, when she was twenty years old, she turned it into something wonderful.

But it might be worth to spend some words on her boyfriend too, because he might be more interesting, although I'm not going to talk much about him this time. Who was Christina's boyfriend? He was Youri's grandson, which could be quite interesting for some people... But for others, it might be not as interesting, because the world has known a lot of crazier connections.

Anyway, unlike Youri, she was young - and full of energy. This didn't mean that she was always tireless, but she usually had the force she needed.

All her friends, both the male ones and the female ones, were amazing. And "amazing" was the least she could say about them.

"How will you spend your day tomorrow?" a girl asked her, thinking about something to talk about. Christina's answer was:

"I don't know, what about you? How will you spend yours?"

"Oh, I know how I'll spend mine".

"You do? Then tell me, please, I want to know it too".

"I'm becoming an aunt tomorrow!"

"Really?"

"Yes! My sister is getting her first child".

"Oh, that's amazing! Will you show me some pictures of your nephew afterwards?"

"Yes, sure", Christina's friend laughed, "why not?"

Suddenly, Christina saw a guy whom she recognized immediately. In school, he had a crush on her, but she never gave too much importance to his attentions. He asked her:

"Do you realize how special today is for me?"

She did realize it, however, the emotions prevented her from uttering a single word.

"I haven't had the chance to talk to you for ages, do you know that?"

"Yes, and by the way, there's something I've been wanting to tell you".

"What is it?"

Christina forgot it, once again because of the same emotion.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"No, I'm not. But I don't think you'll understand me".

"I'm sure I can understand you if I try enough".

"Are you still upset with me?"

"No, why should I be? After all, what's done it's done. I'm not someone who thinks too much about the past".

Suddenly, a siren went off. Christina got scared, but her friend who was about to become an aunt reassured her:

"Don't worry. I don't think it's for us".

"But what's going on? You know how these sounds make me feel".

"My brother used to work as a police sergeant", another girl said, who was wearing a black dress not because someone died, but because it was her favorite color, "but I never quite understood if he quit for protest or was fired after an argument".

"Well, that doesn't matter now. How long ago it happened?"

"I think something like two years, but I'm not that sure anymore", and after saying this, she laughed.

"See? You don't quite remember, so it's not that important", Christina said.

The least she expected was to meet the man she had rejected long before. Unexpectedly for her, he changed a lot. What could that mean? She just didn't know.