CHAPTER 19
5 years later...
"Bella! Call the editors! They are so late! Gosh," I shouted to my assistant, frustrated.
I was now an official writer working my way through New York. I was about to publish my second book called The Never Love and I was hoping for it to be a hit. My editors were later than usual and I started to worry if they changed their minds.
"Miss Rowland, their taxi's tire was punctured so they had to find another one. They are on their way!"
I sighed and smiled at her apologetically, "Thank you, Belle. Go help yourself some coffee or something."
She smiled at me back, knowing how anxious I am about this book, "Sure. Thank you. Would you want one?"
"Tea, would be great, thanks," she nodded and went down the elevator. I walked around in my room in this building and looked out the window to the busy streets. Out of so many people, I've been found. I posted a story on Wattpad and someone wanted me to publish it.
You have talent. I can help you publish this if you like. Just give me a call.
That was the comment that changed my life and here I am about to publish my second book. My first book was a hit and was a bestseller in three weeks. I was shocked myself because I didn't know they would appreciate my writing. And now I was grateful.
I waited patiently for them to arrive and once I heard a knock, I excitedly did my skirt properly and hoped that I looked decent enough. But it was just Belle bringing in my favourite English tea.
"Thank you," I smiled.
"No problem, Tasha."
"Remember, Belle. In front of them, I'm Giselle Tyler."
"Sure thing."
Giselle Tyler was my "stage name". I didn't want anyone to really know who I was because since I had a lot of haters, I didn't want them to spread more rumours about me and my books end up being a one hit wonder kind of thing.
I drank my hot tea slowly and chit chat a little with Belle. She was a really nice girl with curly blonde hair and a bright smile. She was only 17 years old, taking up a position as my assistant because she needed a job. I gladly accepted her because what was I to lose? Besides, she had been very consistent with her job.
A very good assistant indeed.
The door bell rang and I knew it was them. I straighten my hair and my dress nicely while I asked Belle to open the door. When I saw who the editors were, my eyes sprung open. One of them was a tall guy with a perfectly trimmed mustache wearing a suit and the other was a very familiar girl I used to know.
Who was she? Her face was so familiar.
They came closer and I introduced myself, "Hello. I'm Giselle Tyler," and gave them a warming smile.
"Hey," the guy said and shook my hand, "I'm Brandon," he smiled back at me and introduced me to the girl, "This is Rose."
Rose...how come her name brought back to another memory??
"We're here to discuss about your book, the... what was it called again?"
"The Never Love," I smiled.
He was charming. Shit.
"Giselle...have we met before?" Rose interrupted.
"Uh..." I murmured as I thought of that question.
"Have a seat, you two. Coffee or tea?" Belle said, realising the awkward atmosphere.
"Coffee for two, thanks," Brandon stared at Belle and winked at her. I could see Belle's cheeks turn red as she went to make two cups of coffee.
"Sorry, I asked. You just look really familiar. But I've never heard of the name Giselle among my friends so please just forget my rudeness," she laughed.
"Right, about your book..." Brandon turned serious.
We discussed about when was this going to be published and the duration of them taking to edit my book.
After we were done, I nodded to them and thanked them for taking the time to come. Suddenly, Rose was just staring down at my table and I wondered what she was looking at.
"Where did you get that?" her eyes were wide open and I swear she looked like she was about to tear up. She was just staring at my table and when I looked down I realised what she was looking at.
It was a picture of him. Dylan Cooper.
Oh My God, now I remembered. Rose... Rose Morrie...
I was speechless. I didn't want to say anything to ruin my business with them.
"Natasha...is that you?" she looked up to me now.
"Rose, we really have to go..." Brandon shakes her.
"Brandon, give me a moment!" she shouted.
"Rose... Rose Morrie?" I mumbled almost like I was talking to myself.
"Yes... yes, I'm Rose Morrie..." she came to me and hugged me so tight.
"Oh Rose...what is it?" I said now, worried.
"Natasha...oh Tasha..." she started sobbing at me and I knew something is terribly wrong.
"Rose, please, tell me what is wrong..."
She sniffed and wiped her tears away, "Oh I'm so sorry... since you left...since...since..." she couldn't even breathe properly. I patted her back and told her to calm down. I made a signal to Brandon for him to leave first because he was probably waiting for another meeting. Belle followed Brandon out and led him back to the busy streets.
I gave Rose a box of tissue and she blew her red nose.
"Okay, tell me," I said, trying so hard to be calm.
"Tasha...I'm really sorry. Since you left, Dylan...Dylan went to sea and..."
Hearing Dylan's name made me want to cry but I had to be strong. I need Rose to finish explaining to me. It had been five years since I've heard from them. Dylan never wrote to me and he never called. But every day I kept a picture of him in my file which I bring everywhere to.
"Dylan what, Rose?" I was very anxious now. My heart was beating fast and my stomach began to feel very weird. I couldn't stay very still because of that.
"He went missing, Tasha. He's been missing for... five years. Since you left. He never return since. And the worst part is... I saw him. I saw him went away. I tried so hard to make him stay but it was as if he turned on his selective hearing and stopped hearing what I was saying. I tried to reason with him but he wasn't listening. He sailed off in his yacht, and haven't came back since," she lost her breath when she finished talking. She started to cry and I did too because for some reason now I was just blaming myself.
I was blaming myself for all of this. If I hadn't left, if I hadn't walked away from him, I was so sure that he would still be around, safe. I blamed myself for not giving him a chance to say his last words before we separated our ways. I blamed myself now for not having one last memory with him and that was allowing him to say goodbye.
We took awhile to stop crying and Rose had to meet Brandon somewhere soon. I apologised for the sad moment but she shook her head and said, "You deserve to know."
I nodded my head and led her out of the room. I walked back to my chair in front of my laptop where I wrote all my stories. I stared back at the window and somehow, the busy streets turned into that same particular island that I once was at. I remembered that exact moment when we were just staring at each other, enjoying our own moment as if time had stopped. I missed him so much and I've been waiting for him for so long. I thought of him every second of every minute. I had always wondered if he would feel the same way or did my walking away was too intense he hated me for it.
I knew I would hate myself for it.
"Tasha?" Belle woke me up from my day dream.
"Yes, Belle? I'm so sorry..." I looked down.
"What are you going to do now?" she passed me another cup of tea.
I stared at the cup of tea that was placed beside a picture of Dylan smiling there as if he was staring at me. How I missed him and how was I going to find him again?
I sighed and thought of all the memories again.
"Book me a flight to Pearl Island," I took a sip of my tea and shed another tear.
xxx
END OF CHAPTER 19. HOW WAS IT?
xoxo,
Dinie.