Page 48 of The House on Firefly Beach
Mel
Sydney debated whether or not she should send another email to Mel, but as she considered this, she thought it might help the poor guy. He was really going through a rough patch, it seemed, and perhaps her personal experience could help him in some way. She typed back:
I agree. Definitely wrong choices. And if I were able to rewind the clock, sadly I don’t think it would change a thing. Our paths are a muddle of ups and downs, but in the end, they are our paths—we can’t unwind them and make them cleaner or straighter. They just are the way they are. I hope someday you can find some closure.
She sent the message and sent her phone down on the table, the conversation with this stranger sitting heavily. But in a flash, she got a single-line response.
Have you been lucky enough to have closure? I haven’t.
That was a tough one. She didn’t dare tell him that she hadn’t; that, years later, he may still be just as heartbroken. But cutting through her thoughts was another message from mel4221.
If you could write a letter to him, what would you say?
This was getting personal. Quickly, she fired off an answer.
I don’t think my love letter to him would impact your dilemma.
Another email came back to her:
Love? Did you sayloveletter? You still love him?
Shoot. Did she say “love”? She reread her message and gritted her teeth. She hadn’t meant to say that, but it must have just come out with her honesty. What could she say to his question, other than the obvious? She sent back an answer:
Yes. I will always love him.
She hated to dash Mel’s hopes that he could move on, but she was just being honest. Sydney waited for his reaction to her answer, but her phone sat silent, the back-and-forth suddenly over. Then suddenly, a final response, and what it said surprised her.
I’m happy to know you still love him. I feel the same way about her. Thank you for chatting with me and for making my day.
Well, that went better than expected, she thought. But then a second email came through.
One day soon, I’m going to show her how much I love her.
While Sydney liked the romantic idea of this guy professing his love to the girl of his dreams, she did worry that things might not end the way he’d hoped. She opened another email to warn him. She considered telling him how her own situation hadn’t worked so well, but then she reconsidered. It would be a long story, and she didn’t want to bring Nate into this. And what if she deterred him, and it kept him from rekindling things with this woman? It would be best to let time take its course. With a sigh, she deleted the draft.
Mary Alice’s door was still closed, so Sydney decided perhaps she should come back another time. She peeked into the lobby to see if anyone was waiting, and to her surprise, Juliana was on the sofa reading a magazine.
“Hello,” Juliana said, raising a long, lean hand at Sydney. “I am early.”
“I’m sure it’s fine,” Sydney said, moving over to her. “You okay?”
Juliana folded her hands, her shoulders tense. “The photographer must have been Seth’s. He texted me and said if I did not go back and finish out my contract, he would have me in breach of the agreement.”
“Oh no.” Sydney sat down next to her, giving Juliana her full attention.
“I’m scared of him,” Juliana whispered.
“Is there any way to work for him without actually being in the same place?”
Anger flashed in Juliana’s eyes. “He does not want my work. He wants to make my life miserable. No one tells him no.”
“How is he able to do this?” Sydney said, concerned for her new friend.
“Look at the life he gave me. Aspiring models die for that kind of life. They will put up with a lot and they will keep it quiet.” She crossed her legs, her delicate sandal dangling from her painted toes. “I noticed how most of them kept their distance from him, but I was too naïve to read the signs and when he became friendly with me, I fell right into it. He loves the power of making people into superstars and he will not allow me to be successful if I am not working for him. I am worried he is going to hurt me…”
Sydney covered her gaping mouth. “Oh my God,” she said, aghast.
Juliana’s eyes glistened with fear but the noise of Mary Alice’s door opening caused her to wipe her face clean of any worry she had.
