Sunset At Sarsen Stones (What Dreams Are Made Of)

Chapter 42 - It really is over!

Henry came close behind her and said, "Yes you do." He added after a pause, "Its Susan."

Chrissy worst fears were confirmed. Deep down her heart, she had dreaded this the most. Nikloi was marrying Susan!

But shouldn't she have known this was expected, she scolded herself. They had always had this love-hate relationship. Always going away and then getting back together. Hadn't she herself seen him kiss Susan passionately? Didn't they have a strong business relationship as well? And has she forgotten the way Susan had treated her once she had found Nikloi might be interested in her. She had even tried to kill her!

Obviously, Susan would have stopped at nothing till she got her heart's desire - Nikloi as her husband. So come to think carefully, this shouldn't come as a surprise at all.

But her heart refused to look at it carefully. It refused to consider the news as a neutral person and not be affected. It refused her self-respect and tears of lost love spilled over her eyes. This was the last nail in her heart and she gave in to the ache. She bowed her head and cried silently, not being able to control the storm of painful feelings.

Henry had sensed her discomfort and when he came in front of her, he could see the non-stop tears even with her head bent forward. His concern for her well-being immediately made him turn her around and asked her hurriedly, "Chrissy, what happened?" but his heart had already known the answer.

When Chrissy didn't answer but continued crying, he pulled her in his arms and let her weep on his shoulder. He could now understand why Chrissy could never think of him as more than a friend. And while he had accepted her decision, he had never thought it was because of Nikloi.

But he should have known, he thought. It was impossible to resist his cousin brother's charms. He had never seen any girl to escape unaffected. But he had been so lost in his own emotions, he had never noticed what was going on right in front of her. Chrissy was different but a girl after all and Nik was devastatingly handsome man who had girls falling all over him.

When her sobbing sobered up some time later, she straighten up away from him and his arms. Trying to control his own emotions, Henry asked her softly, "Was it Nikloi? You left London because of Nikloi?"

Chrissy had been trying to keep it all buried deep inside her heart but it was difficult not get swayed with her emotions. A fresh bout of tears threaten to unleash from her eyes. Her throat struggled with the heavy lump stuck in it. She called for all her strength to control her tears and simply nodded in response to Henry's question.

"Oh my dear Chrissy! What did Nik do to you?" Henry exasperated helplessly.

Chrissy didn't know how to answer him. While she was burdened with everything that had happened and wanted to share it with someone, she also knew Henry was Nikloi's cousin and she didn't want to cause any trouble between them. Also she was too embarrassed to share the more intimate details.

"Please, I don't want any trouble between you two", she cried.

"Don't worry about us. I knew Nikloi was a through and through heart-breaker but I would have never imagined him to hurt you. Anyone could see you were completely different from all the butterfly girls he used to move around with. Hell, there is no one like you! You are so unique, Chrissy", Henry couldn't stop letting his own feelings come to the fore front.

"Believe me, it's no one's fault. We aren't meant for each other. There is no common thread that binds us together", Chrissy expressed, omitting the strong physical connect she had experienced in his arms. She knew both of them were equally pulled towards each other but the sad reality was that the commonality ended just there.