Chapter 70

*CORA* I had already gotten gifts for Zoe and my dad. This night before I depart was moving slowly then I expected of was it just me? Feeling bored,I walked over to get a bottle of wine.I wasn’t much of a drinker but I like to drink a lot from time to time. I took out a goblet and poured a glass of wine, which gave off a strange light in the bedroom light. I walked over to the balcony and leaned against it,gently taking sip after sip of my wine. I looked down to see a young boy and a girl,they looked like a couple as they danced under the nightlight. It felt so heartwarming to watch. Will I ever get to experience this? I recalled the time when I was hopelessly in love with Tristan,I’d romanticize every good thing he did for me. At that time,he shone brightly in my eyes.He was all I could see.I thought that one day I would become all he sees too. But I was wrong. And he was no longer the hero in my heart.He belonged to another woman now,to protect her from wind and rain.He was like a soldier who had gone to war and died at the battlefield.He was never going to return to me,he didn’t even have the chance to bring back a letter telling me to wait. Yeah, he was a soldier who was dead to me. It was late November.And I felt cold.I walked back into the living room and sat on the couch. Though I despised Tristan but I couldn’t hate him completely to the point of wishing him death. Sighing,I recalled that I hadn’t turned on my cellphone since the previous day when Zoe called me. I stood up and got a hold of my cellphone,turning it on. I saw that there were text messages from Zoe. Zoe:Please,Cora.Do reconsider.You could come see him briefly and go back to Paris.Noah and Winnie are really worried about it. And then I saw that Zoe had sent pictures. I clicked on the pictures to see that it was on Tristan in a hospital bed. There were bandages in some parts of his body,a guaze wrapped around his head. I covered my mouth with my hand.Zoe hadn’t texted me today. Was Tristan still alive? I was instantly filled with worry. I immediately gave Zoe a call. ***************** It was the early hours of the morning when Zoe’s phone rang out. She sleepily reached for it but when she saw that it was Cora,her sleepiness disappeared and she sat up,quickly. “Hello,Cora.” “Zoe,how is Tristan doing?He…he’s still alive right?”There was anxiety in Cora’s voice. “Yeah,he’s still holding on but the doctor said he isn’t out of danger yet.His condition isn’t stable.” Zoe knew that Tristan’s accident must have been bothering Cora a lot.She knew that Cora didn’t have the heart to turn a blind eye to it. “Have you made your decision?”Zoe asked,tentatively. “Yeah.I’ll come back to see him and wish him quick recovery.” Cora paused and continued.”I believe it’s time I put the past behind me.I’m done traveling now.I am only going to see him this one time and after that,I’ll prefer we live as strangers.”Cora said, slowly. “In truth,Cora,I didn’t want to meddle in your situation with him.I also didn’t mean to encourage you to come back but I felt you had to know what happened to him in any case you find out in the future,I didn’t want you to be mad that I didn’t tell you.” “It’s okay,Zoe.I understand.I won’t blame you for anything that happens in the future.And you don’t have to feel that you made me come back.I made this decision on my own so I’m ready for anything.”Cora felt lucky,thinking that she might’ve done something good in her previous life to meet such a good friend as Zoe. “Well,my dear,go to sleep.Don’t think too much about it.Let’s talk about it when you come back.I’ll come pick you up at the airport.I’m always on your side,Cora.Don’t forget that.”Zoe comforted Cora. “I know,thank you.”After hanging up,Cora’s face was calm. She felt warm at heart.She felt she must have been blessed for several generations. Though her love life was a mess,her friendship was more solid than love. ************* Lying on the bed,Cora smelled the faint fragrance of lavender from the pillow and fell asleep,unconsciously.Maybe Zoe’s words worked or maybe she really was too exhausted. She didn’t have a single dream and she had a good sleep. In the morning,Cora opened her eyes.Her big watery eyes flashed with a strange light.She was finally going to return home. She had already booked a ticket.After getting up and tidying up,she finally decided to have breakfast in a restaurant for the last time in Paris. After having breakfast in a hurry,she headed for the airport. ************* Sitting on the plane,Cora looked out the window from time to time. Outside the window,there were white clouds.With her eyes wide open,Cora felt like she was in a fairyland and she could hardly see through ground. She looked asking and sighed at the different strangers on the plane.Some of them were smiling,while some were expressionless.Life was always like this. One could be having the happiest day of his/her life and another person would be having the sadness. Cora personally felt that the happy days were always short and the sad days were always too difficult to overcome. Objectively,the speed of time made you feel happy or sad remains the same.Because of the significance given by people,everything was different.