You are not worthy

Daniel woke up disoriented and looked around in haze. He had no idea where he was… the last thing he remembered was drinking with Ronald. Looking around he realized that this was rooms upstairs for guests that didn’t want to head back.

He heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Ronald lying even more wasted on the next bed.

“What time is it?” Ronald lifted his head lazily as he heard Daniel getting ready.

“Around 1 in the afternoon.”

“What???” Ronald sat up in a flurry.

“I will head back home and see what needs to be done.” Daniel tapped his back “You take your time.”

Daniel sat in the car rubbing his forehead He regretted his rudeness yesterday. He took out the divorce agreement from the dashboard to read before going back. There was nothing to read…. he looked at the papers in shock. There were no items listed under divorce settlement. Only a statement “Headed to the bridge of no return; Strangers forever.”

Daniel shook his head in denial before his lips curled in ridicule. He knew how much she loved him, she would never take the initiative to divorce. This was just a farce to pacify him. His mood became much better once he realized the truth and started to drive back home. He decided to have an amiable discussion with Emile and let bygones be bygones. However, he didn’t even realize what he wanted to discuss.

“Dring…dring….” His phone rang half way. He parked his car to the side road and picked up the call seeing the caller id displaying Michele.

“Hello”

“Danie where are you?” Michelle’s muffled voice came over the phone.

“Um??”

“I went to your place to look for you and you were not there.” Michelle sobbed “I am worried since you were not feeling well yesterday.”

“Don’t worry. I will come over once I finish work.”

“Oh…”

“Where are you?”

“I … I am heading towards your office.” Michele hesitated before speaking the truth.

“No need. Go home. I am in a meeting and wont be free till evening.” Daniel didn’t know why he lied.

“Alright. I will listen to you.” Michele nodded before adding softly “You must take care.

“Um” Daniel hung up.

Michelle lifted her head to look at the house one more time before heading to her car to go back. She had no idea why she felt uncomfortable with Daniel’s behavior yesterday. He had never refused to bring her along previously. She just wanted to come and check.

It was even more unusual for no one to open the door. For some weird reason, she felt Daniel was hiding inside and hence decided to call him. She wanted to know if the phone would ring from inside. She felt much relieved knowing that he really wasn’t home.

Daniele missed Michelle by 5 mins. He rang the doorbell by habit and decided to open without waiting as it was taking too long. As soon as he entered the light from the diamond ring caught his eye. He didn’t know why, but he felt flustered and hurried to the table.

He took a step back in shock as he realized the items on the table.

“Emile… Emile… get down here.” Daniel roared in anger. Realizing that he lost his temper, he calmed himself, softened his tone and called out as he sat down “Emile, come down. Let’s discuss.”

He waited patiently looking at the stairs in the direction of the guest room. Minutes passed by without any sign of Emile coming down.

Daniel got up and decided to go to her room and chat thinking about how rude he was yesterday.

The room was wide open and no one inside. Daniel rushed into the room and looked around. There was no sign of anyone ever staying here. He opened the cupboard and saw clothes inside. He heaved a sigh of relief and went to the bathroom. It was spotless and no toiletries left around.

Daniel came back to the cupboard with a puzzled expression and opened again. This time, he realized none of the items here was hers. It was something he bought for her on rare occasions. There was also jewelry that he and Grandpa had bought her. He saw and folded paper next to one pile of jewelry boxes and opened it.

“I am leaving this here as it does not belong to me anymore. Grandpa gave this to his grand daughter-in-law. I do not have the heart to return this to Grandpa and will trouble you one last time to return this to grandpa.”

He staggered back and sat on the bed in shock. He covered his chest as he felt a sharp pain in chest. For some reason, her voice rang in his ears –

“Daniel, I am someone who never looks back and never goes back on my word.”

“This is also why I have never brought this up before no matter how you treated me. I had agreed to three years and that I have kept.”

“But know this… If you sign this paper and leave today, we are strangers from this moment forth and I will never even shed a glance in your direction.”

Daniel sat lost in thought till his phone rang. It was Ronald.

“How is it?” Ronald asked without giving Daniel a chance to speak.

“She’s gone.” Daniel managed to speak with great difficult.

“I will be right there.” Ronald hung up and rushed to his side.

Daniel was just leaving the house with the jewellry boxes when Ronald arrived.

“What are you doing?”

“Giving these back to grandpa.” Daniel responded mechanically as he opened the car.

“I will drive.” Ronald took the keys from him. He didn’t think it was a good idea to let him drive in this state.

Daniel didn’t argue; he sat in the passenger seat and muttered “This is the first thing she asked me to do since we got married.”

Ronald looked at him and shook his head. ‘What a fate? He disdained and abused her while he had her… what was the point of regretting now?’ He only thought so in this head. This was his best friend. Why would he beat him up when he was down?

Grandpa Holston was sitting in the backyard drinking his tea when they arrived.

“You’re here.”

“Grandpa” Both Daniel and Ronald called out at the same time.

Grandpa Holston waved his hand to call them closer to sit. Daniel walked up to him and placed the jewelry boxes on the table.

“Grandpa, Emile left these for me to return.”

“She left?” Grandpa raised his head to look at Daniel before turning his head sorrowfully “Left without a goodbye…”

“Left without taking a trace…”

“Left to go to bridge of no return..”

Grandpa Holston mumbled as a stream of tear rolled down his cheeks. Daniel kneeled next to him and patted his hand. Grandpa stubbornly turned his head refusing to look at Daniel.

“You don’t deserve my Danton’s treasure. I was greedy to give it to you.” Grandpa Holston’s voice was laced with anger and regret. Daniel lowered his head.

Ronald sat in the background wishing to make himself disappear.

“I… I who was always proud of my outstanding grandson…” Grandpa Holston’s voice wavered “didn’t even realize what a bastard he was!”

“Grandpa… I ….” Daniel didn’t know what to say.

“If I knew what you have done earlier……” Grandpa shook if head, regret written all over his face “If only I came back earlier and asked… my poor little Emile would not have resented me.”

“Grandpa… I…….”

“I don’t blame her…. I only wish the kid told me...” Grandpa Holston sighed “I cannot fathom how the child survived bottling all the torture inside her..”

“I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t call Lawyer Hee yesterday to ask if there was anything I could help.” Grandpa Holston sat back with a mournful sign.

“I was working up the courage to face my treasure.” Grandpa Holston took a deep breath gathering strength to continue “But I guess, I wasn’t even worthy of forgiveness…. She left before I gathered courage…. Aaiii….”