Empty Space
“You should stay I should leave. Your friends are waiting for you to explain what’s going on.” I gave a sad smile and waved to the person.
“No. You should stay too. Are you alright?” He asked.
“It’s been a long time since someone asked me that.” I looked up at the sky and took a breather. I closed my eyes and remembered all those years alone. “I always ran away when I felt pain. Does it even matter if I’m alright? Anyway your friends must be wondering what you are doing with a person like me. Everyone is too scared to come close to me but you didn’t. I am grateful for that.” I gave a happy smile to him and looked at his friends. They looked both worried and afraid. “I should really be leaving now. It seems that your friends have become agitated seeing you talking to me. This would be the last time we would see each other. I hope you will live a full and happy life like the man you are.”
“Stop!” He yelled and startled everyone including me. “You haven’t even answered my question. Are you alright?”
I smiled again and said “I’m alright now but people say when a woman says she is alright now a second later it could be something else.”
“Then I will keep asking until you say you aren’t so I would be there to lend you a shoulder to cry on.” He said smiling. I shook my head side to side.
“I have to leave, this is not my place anymore. Besides, how can I lean on your shoulder when I can’t even touch your hand with out passing through it.” I moved my hand towards his chest and it passed through like it was nothing. “I’m no longer alive remember. I am just a ghost and I should never had stayed. But I’m still thankful I got a chance to finish what I didn’t get to with your help.” I pulled my hand away and gave him a cheerful smile. “Thank you Darren if it wasn’t for you I would never be able to rest in peace.” I started to slowly disappear from sight while Darren tried his best to stop it from happening.
“Don’t leave!” Darren begged. I shook my head again and gave him another smile even though in my heart I was crying. “Not yet! Please…”
“I’m sorry….” Tears started to fall from my eyes even as I try to hold the tears behind hiding it behind a smile. When he yelled I love you, I was already gone. He fell to the ground and slammed his fist regretting the fact he lost her.
10 years later
Darren was now working as a forensic scientist. He was currently investigating the type of bullet that shot the 35 year old woman. The woman was a partner of a huge company with her husband who was currently the main suspect. Darren was also investigating the caliber of the bullet, the distance it was shot from and the type of gun used. Suddenly he heard the door open. He wasn’t expecting any interns or anymore assistants this week.
“What is it? I’m still working on it. If you want the information on the type of bullet you need to wait for a while since this one seems different from a normal bullet. It might be specially made somewhere which I am trying to find out.” He turned around to see his boss with a girl that looked exactly like her. “Miranda...” He said shocked at who he saw. “Is it you?” They were looking at him wondering what’s wrong with him.
“No Darren. But good try I guess. Her name is Christine. She will be working as your assistant for 2 week which begins today. Alright then Darren any questions will be answered by her.” He looked at his watch and then he walked to Darren’s side. He put one of his hand on Darren’s shoulder saying “It’s been long since you been excited of something maybe she can do something to that cold exterior of yours.” Darren’s boss smirked and walked out of the room. Darren was taken back by what his boss said.
“Hello Darren, I’m Christine. Nice to meet you.” She smiled and let out her hand for a hand shake.
“Nice to meet you too, Christine.” He took her invitation and smiled back. “I’m extremely sorry for the mistake. I just thought you really looked like her.” He looked down to his feet feeling embarrass over his mistake.
“It’s okay at least you weren’t as bad as this guy. He said “Hello angel. Where have you been all my life?” ” She was imitating the guy’s voice and gestures. “God! That was so corny, I replied. “Away from you of course.” ” She snapped her fingers and gave a sassy look. Darren chuckled at her action. “Sorry, I get carried away every time I tell a story.” She had a tint of redness on her face and this made Darren remember what he had missed all those years. She really did remind him of Amanda but only the good memories resurfaced in his mind.
“No actually I should thank you. It’s been a long time since I laughed that cheerfully ever since she left” Darren gave a sad smile as the memories of that day course through his mind.
“Do you regret it?” She asked curious of his answer.
“No. I don’t but I do miss her.” He smiled running his fingers through his hair and looked at her with a half-hearted smile “But that doesn’t matter anymore does it.” Darren said turning away, continuing with his job. “Christine can you get me a cup of coffee from the cafe? I’m planning on finishing my work today and it might take a while.” He said looking through the microscope.
“Alright…” She answered professionally guessing he didn’t want to talk about it and she should respect his privacy. As she walked out of the laboratory she stopped just before door and said “If you ever feel like telling anyone I would always be wiling to listen.” Then she walked out of the room calmly never looking back.
“Why I’m, I always so mean to people? She didn’t even do anything to me.” He looked away from the microscope knowing he couldn’t concentrate anymore seeing that he opened the window that he had left close for all those years. “Maybe I should take her offer? It wouldn’t hurt, would it?” He shook his head and started to concentrate again. “I can’t let this slow me down I have to solve this first because the killer is still loose. He can kill anyone till he is convicted.” He said to himself taking a deep breath, exhaling.
After a few minutes Christine came back from the café bringing a cup of black coffee. “Mr. Thomson I bought black coffee. I hope you like it.”
“Thanks leave it on the table I’ll drink it later.” Darren said, not even taking a glance at her too busy concentrating. “Miss Christine I sorry for being a bit rude just now. I guess I made a habit out of it. I would like to take you on that offer. We’ll talk about it later seeing that I have to finish my work first. Would you be free after work?” Darren asked finally finishing one of the jobs he had to do, writing it down on paper.
“Yes I am. Talk to you then I guess.” She started to help anyway she could hoping she could help Darren finish his work earlier.
Hours and hours had past, Darren was still busy doing his job. It was already 10.00 p.m. but he seemed not even a little bit tired. However, it couldn’t be said the same for Christine who seemed like she was going to past out.
“Miss Christine you should go home and rest. We could always reschedule to another day.” Darren said taking a sip of the black coffee.
“No I’m fine. I’m a little tired it will go away after a few minutes rest.” Christine said not wanting to leave yet.
“You should leave and go back home. I don’t really need your help here. I will take till tomorrow to finish this then I will be finish and I don’t want you to past out tomorrow. Because I need you to send the report to them while I’m at home resting. You could visit me at my home and have the talk.” Darren said to Christine sternly, who followed his words reluctantly leaving the laboratory and went back to her house.
Darren finished his work completely the next day at 5.00 a.m. in the morning. He put the report of everything on the table and left to go back home. He was tired and exhausted but at least he finished it. Immediately when he reached home he fell a sleep on his bed not changing his clothes at all. He couldn’t care less. He also put a note on the report telling Christine to see him at 3.00 o’clock in the afternoon.
As soon as the time reached 3.00 o’clock in the afternoon Christine had reached Darren’s house. It was a double storey house with a garaged. She reached the door and rang the door bell, waiting for Darren to open the door.
Darren opened the door with a plain blue T-shirt and black cargo pants. “Hi Christine. Please come in.” Darren smiled politely.
“Thank you Mr. Thomson.” Christine said walking into the house, smiling back at Darren.
“Call me Darren since we’re not at work lets get all the formality out. Come I will show you the way to the living room.” He grinned, as he showed her the way inviting to sit once arriving.
“Who is the girl which you care dearly to, Darren?” Christine asked straightforwardly.
“Straight to the point aren’t you, Christine. Well her name was Caroline Wilson. A beautiful woman with wavy brunette hair, verdant eyes, fair skin and everything a person would ever want. Sadly she could only be seen by me that time.” Darren said, closing his eyes while he took a deep breath.
“Was she an imaginary friend?” Christine asked worriedly.
“No…she wasn’t. She was as real as you and me but when I met her she wasn’t actually as alive as she did years ago. She was a reckless soul who couldn’t rest in peace and I helped her to do that. Yet by the end of all we went through I couldn’t let her go. I was selfish. We went through all those hard, cheerful and even sad moment. I couldn’t just let her go. She was the love of my life. I haven’t found a person yet who could take her place.” Darren said bowing his head down as tears threaten to fall out.
“It’s alright.” Christine patted him on the back wanting to sooth him.
“Thanks.” He whispered.
“Everything comes and goes is the best saying I could think in my mind. Everything changes in time no matter how hard you want it to stop doing that you can’t change the course of nature. The same thing goes to people. No matter how hard you try you can’t stop the person from leaving. Yeah it hurts but the pain will heal over time. I promise you Darren you will find a person who will take her place. Maybe the person is not her but surely that person will give you the same or even more joy that Caroline ever could. You should never give up hope because when you do you are hoping for things to come to you. Nothing comes without work so Darren you have a choice to wait and see or too find that person that could fit that empty space in you heart?” Christine said encouraging him with all her heart and giving all the advice she could.
“Maybe I don’t have to look for the person anymore because you fill the space just fine.” Darren turned looking to Christine who didn’t seem to get it yet. Darren smiled and sat up. He put his hand to her chin lifting her face up, slowly lowering his. As they kissed it felt as everything was finally in place.
The End
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