Two Villains

Ch. 5- Is Someone Stalking?

"Pretty Girl. Don't even think of doing it," she implored, sensing the overwhelming despair that had momentarily consumed me.

Is she Mrs. Volkner? Whoever she might be, she looked old and wise.

"What happened?" the old man asked us from a distance.

"Honey, just leave us for a minute." She begged. They are not Volkners; they were Americans. Her accent gave it away.

"Listen, I would tell you something that may sound very silly, but since you are the same age as my grandchild, I would say the same thing to them as I am saying this to you....." She continued to speak to me, her voice shaking. "I don't know what is killing you from inside; trust me, there was a time when I was in your place. I wanted to die, but now......" She looked at him,

".....nothing in this world is more important to me than to live, for him...but Lord wants me to be with him. I may not have much time now to here left...." She sighed.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Cancer! 4th stage. No point in Chemo. My whole body is in excruciating pain now. Before we start palliative therapy, Ron wanted me to bring me to where we met first." She explained, holding my hand, and looking at them.

Her throat bobbed as it was compressing my gut-wrenching emotions, and she looked at me,

"I pray that you get all the happiness on this earth, pretty girl! Just don't kill yourself..... Or ever think of it... Have patience... wait for a miracle, just like me. I know I am leaving this earth so soon but still, I am hoping for a miracle, for my Ron....." She begged me, holding my hand tightly.

Ron looked at her from a distance, he tried to read her expressions.

"How long have you been with him?" I asked.

"52 years!" she laughed. "Even eternity was not enough to be with him." She ended.

I was speechless and had no idea what to say or not.

"Go to your room, have a warm shower, and tomorrow we will eat together at breakfast if God wills. Then, I will hear your story, I'll tell you mine if you want to." She patted one of my cheeks with her hand. I obliged her like a good girl and came back to my room. She escorted me to the second floor.

After I came to my room, I changed my dress and fell asleep. I made up my mind that I was not going to meet this couple ever again.

The love between them was too depressing for me to deal with.

52 years! Nobody even loved me for 52 seconds! And these lucky women are happy and surrounded by their husbands and families for 52 years! 52!

"Even eternity was not enough to be with him......"

Eternity...this word kept ringing in my ear till I fell asleep.

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The next morning, I woke up with the determination to have breakfast and embark on a boat ride. Rising at 8 a.m., I took a refreshing shower and selected a knee-length, deep blue shirt dress for the day. It was a comfortable and airy choice, ideal for a boat excursion. I completed my outfit with brown gladiator-style sandals.

Upon arriving at the breakfast buffet, I noticed a delightful change in the menu, there were numerous Middle Eastern dishes available.

"Why changed the Mediterranean foods?" I asked one of the waiters.

"Our chairman loves Middle Eastern cuisine, as he is here, our chefs decided to honor him."

It was foolish of me to assume these offerings were solely for special occasions; I had momentarily forgotten that the hotel owners were present, and these were the privileges of the wealthy.