The Love That Passed

Jared’s POV

I felt lost after that moment. I know that Colleen doesn’t need any more worry, but I couldn’t help it. I’m just glad that she didn’t take it differently, crying in front of her again. Sometimes, I feel weak. Whose man ever cries over a woman? Not many, right? People who love deeply only get hurt. I think it was tragic.

Thinking about my wife now, I had to be strong for our baby too. I don’t know what will happen when Colleen really leaves us after. How am I going to be a good father to our daughter? I promised that I would always make her feel proud of me, but as to how am I going to do that when she is not around anymore?

“Jared,” I looked at my sister, who looked worried. “I’m sorry that I had to ask you to come with me. I know what you have been through but I really need your help,” she explained. I smiled at her and said,

“No worries, Ingrid. It’s really fine.” She asked me to come to the office because of some problems that she couldn’t understand. It was only a minor problem and could be settled after some meetings. I believe in her and then in Rodney as well as the other 5 new secretaries we hired. We were just waiting for the reply from the client, which I’m sure was positive and everything will be OK.

Colleen overheard our conversation so she pushed me to go. Well, even if she didn’t, I would still come. I promised Ingrid that she could call me if ever she faced problems she couldn’t handle.

“But I took your time for your wife,” she replied,

“It’s fine, she wouldn’t like it if I was not coming here either. You know her, she doesn’t like to be a burden to anyone.” I said and she nodded,

“Yeah, that’s how she is.” Ingrid and Colleen were close along with mom. I don’t know how they get along because they were a total opposite of each other. They’re supposed to be like oil and water. I mean, Ingrid is loud, outgoing and wild, while my wife is soft spoken and gentle.

“I remember when I first saw Colleen,” she said, and that caught my interest. I wanted to know more about her. “Mom was so hardheaded, you know that,” she said and I nodded. “It was after her check-up and I found out that she needed surgery. She didn’t want to because she was afraid that something might happen. Just like what had happened to dad.”

‘I didn’t know that,” I said. She nodded her head with a smile and continued,

“Mom was scared and thought that she was going to die already. She didn’t want to yet, because she wanted you to get married to a nice and decent woman first. You already know that we knew about Stacey, I guess?” I nodded with my head down,

“Colleen was sitting on a bench in the hospital. She had just finished her check up and didn’t want to go home yet. She said there was no one who was waiting for her, so she might as well have someone to talk with, even if it was another patient.”

*** Ingrid’s Flashback ***

“Mom, you have to do it.”

“No, I already told you that I wouldn’t do it.” Mom replied,

“It’s for your own good, how are you going to get better if you are not going to follow your doctor’s advice?”

“I’d rather die, I mean who would want to undergo check-ups and surgery if they knew that they would still end up dying?” she replied as she sat on a bench opposite to a woman who happened to be Colleen and was looking at us.

“I am still attending my check-up, I just finished it a while ago and was eagerly hoping for surgery.” she said, interrupting us. We looked at her and we found her smiling at us.

“It’s because you’re still young, that’s why you are saying that.”

“I have less than four years to live,” she told us, and both our eyes widened. What shocked us was the fact that she was smiling when she said that. I don’t think I will be able to smile at that kind of dilemma. “Well, unless I get heart surgery,” she added.

“You want to undergo surgery?” Mom asked and she nodded. “What if it only makes you weak?” she asked again,

“What if it will extend my life?” Colleen asked instead, “I didn’t want to think about what if it failed. I am going for surgery to extend my life and not to think about failure,” she added.

“Who are you with?” Mom asked,

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you alone? Where are your parents? If you’re in that condition, you should have someone with you, right now.” I said,

“Oh, my parents separated years ago and they have their own family.” she replied, “And I think they forget about me,” she added, scratching her head and still smiling. It wasn’t even a fake smile. It was full of light, that it was so bright and mom and I were both speechless. How can such a tiny person as her be that strong? I can face poverty alone, but I don’t think I will be able to smile at her burden. What’s more, withstand it.

“Don’t feel pity, it was because I am careless that I am in this condition. There was no one to blame for what had happened to me, but myself,” she said. She may have seen sympathy in our eyes.

“Then, you have to come with me during my check up.” mom said out of nowhere.

“No problem, just tell me when.” she replied, and that was the start of us being together, being friends.

*** End of flashback ***

“Mom investigated her, of course. She wanted to make sure that she was not a con. Many con artists use emotions to get their victims affection,” Ingrid said after.

“She’s the most honest person I know.” I told her, and she agreed.

“Sir,” Rodney said when he entered after he knocked, “Everything’s good. Mr. Davidson agreed to the proposal and he will be sending the new contract tomorrow morning” he reported, smiling.

“Thank you so much,” Ingrid said, with a sigh of relief. “That playboy almost gave me a heart attack,” she said. I was sure that she was pissed because she was the one who talked to Mr. Davidson at first, I was confident that she would be able to pull everything, because she was really good at business as well. So I wonder what happened to their meeting. But looking at her now, I think I already had an idea.

Mr. Davidson was known to be a playboy, but I never heard, even once, that he forced someone. Ingrid is the kind of woman who hates playboys. I cannot blame her because our dad taught her how she should be treated by men and dad taught me how to treat a woman.

Rodney left so I made some reminders for my sister with regards to the company. She had a bad temper and I actually warned Rodney and the others about her. I was glad that nothing happened and that they worked in “harmony” as she said.

“Give my regards to my dear sister-in-law.” she said when I got up and got ready for home.

“Of course,” I replied and left the office. Now that I was alone, my mind was now with Colleen. It has been a natural occurrence for me these past months, actually. She would constantly come to mind with her smiling face. And that made me feel excited about going home.

I got in my car and started it before I put on my seatbelt. I planned on texting Colleen to inform her that I was going home now, but changed my mind. I would just surprise her. I was about to go when I received a text message. I thought for a while about whether I was going to read or just do it at home. But thinking it was my sister, maybe she forgot to say something, I opted to read it first,

‘Do you think I won’t be able to find you? Well, you thought wrong. Because, I will make sure that you will pay for what you did.’ the text message said. My eyes sharpened and I started to think about who could possibly send me that text.

I didn’t fight or anger anyone, so who could it be? I don’t think I will be able to go home like this, so I just stay for a while. Then I heard my phone again. I looked at it and found out that it was an email. I opened it and it only angered me, at the same time, scared. The emails were all Colleen’s photos and there are some that I have with her.

My beautiful wife was smiling in all the photos and whoever sent this to me, threatened me with such beauty. I have to find him, or her. And the only people I have dealt with in the last months were Derrick and Stacey. They better not harm her, because I don’t know what I am going to do to them when they do.