My eyes hold his.
“I don’t care how long you have. I only know that you are the reason I live.”
His bottom lip quivers. “And I will take any time I can have with you. Every day is a gift,” his voice cracks betraying his hurt.
“Alastar, I won’t put you through this.” I shake my head. “This is my choice. Fate has stepped in and handed me that letter. I was supposed to know this. I am supposed to act on this.”
“And what about Ester?” he yells, infuriated.
I frown and step back as my heart free falls from my chest.
“You are supposed to give birth to her. You have been drawing her for eight weeks. The wee child with the ringlets in your notepad is our daughter Ester.” He shakes his head in an outrage. “Why did she come to you if she was never meant to be born?”
I stare at him through my tears. “Ester needs her mother for more life than one. She will return to us next life,” I whisper through the lump in throat.
“What if you break it completely and we remember nothing?” he yells in a panic. “What if I never find you again?”
I screw up my face in pain. This had crossed my mind, too. “Then I will have peace knowing you are not anxious all the time, that you are not suffering and dreading the future.”
“Do not use me as an excuse.”
I stare at him and I kiss him softly on his lips, tasting my own salty tears. “Twinkle, I love you.”
His tortured eyes hold mine. “No, Em. Don’t do this. Please. I beg.” The tears run freely down his face.
I hold his cheeks in my hands as I try to calm him down, even though my heart is completely breaking. “Alastar, listen to me,” I whisper.
He shakes his head, too distraught to function. I bring his eyes to meet mine.
“Not all fairy tales have happy endings, Twinkle.” I kiss him softly on the lips. “But all fairy tales have a hero and this time, it’s me,” I whisper sadly.
“Em,” he whispers.
“I love you.” I sob. “The next life is ours.”
He holds me tight for an extended time.
“Find me, Alastar,” I whisper through my pain. “Because of us, find me.”
* * *
“Can I get you a drink or anything?” the stewardess asks.
“I stare out the small round airplane window as I see London disappear beneath me, and I turn to her in slow motion. “Can I have a vodka, lime and soda please?” I ask flatly.
She smiles warmly. “Of course, dear.” She disappears up the airplane aisle.
I have never felt so distraught. I came to London because I wanted to learn about history.
I guess I got the full package with optional extras.
The sound of the engine drowns out the sound of my heart sobbing and I stare into the clouds as we fly.
I don’t feel like a hero.
With every mile that we fly farther away from my love, a part of me dies.
He will find me in our next life.
I know he will.
Because of Us.
He has to.
Epilogue
Another time. Another place.
A young dark haired girl walks through the flea markets with her grandparents, excited to be finally be in London, visiting from her hometown in the USA. At eighteen years of age, with large brown eyes and olive skin, she is wearing a white dress and has a camel colored handbag worn across her body. She is pretty and has a mischievous personality. Her grandparents stop to look at a furniture stall, but she keeps wandering until she gets to a jewelry stand. She peers through the old glass cabinets at the antique rings. She smiles as an emerald ring catches her sight.
She points to it through the glass. “Can I try this on, please?” She smiles at the kind, old lady.
The old lady smiles and carefully removes the ring from the cabinet to hand it over. She slips it on her finger. Oh, she loves this ring.
“You should get that ring,” a male husky voice smiles over her shoulder.
She turns in surprise. “Oh.” She smiles, taken aback at the forwardness of the young man standing too close behind her. He has dark, curly hair, with a huge smile and dimples in his cheeks. His right eye is slightly turned and his confidence can probably be recognized from space.
“And why should I get it?” She smirks.
The young man’s eyes dance with delight. “Because if you do, you win a date with me.”
She laughs out loud. “I’m not sure I want that, to be honest.”
“I think you would.” He smirks.
She feels her cheeks heat under his gaze. Oh, this boy is special and she feels her heart flutter with nerves.
He picks up her hand and holds it in his. “I’m Alastar.” His eyes hold hers and he smiles cheekily. “Pleased to meet you. Your name is?” He raises his eyebrows in question.
She smiles mischievously. She likes this game and she shakes his hand. “My name is Emmaline, and for the record, I am not going on a date with you.”
His eyes twinkle at the challenge and he gives her a cheeky wink. “We shall see, Emmaline. we shall see.”