“Oh…yeah, with her guitar… Her beautiful guitar and best buddy, she was an amazing singer and she wrote her own song. I told her to pursue it as career but then it all gone” Simon said.
“Wow… Claire that’s great, Brad had a hobby like that too, he was really good poet. I was fond of his poems, even though he was MBA student but I think that he should study literature” Judy said, little cackles around the table.
Suddenly Claire has a thought and she asks with mischief smile “really, so is he sensitive? I heard that poets are sensitive… caring. Does he have a kind heart?” looking at Judy.
“Yeah… so much sensitive and so very reserve” Judy replied.
“Well that mean he never hurt anyone” Claire asks still smiling, Simon surprise a little on her question, and Mr. Bradley get nervous as he feel Claire might going to do something. He can feel her pointing questions.
“Oh… no, never he so caring you knows people came to him with their problems and he always help them with everything he got, sometime he don’t know what to do not even then he say no to anyone” Judy said cheerfully.
“Interesting… it always hard for Claire to say no that’s why I ask her to marry me with so confident because I know she will never say me no” Simon said with laugh.
“But honestly it was her voice and music that make me fall in love with her” Simon said, they were talking when Claire has a thought she quickly said “Simon I got an idea, I have a feeling to sing tonight, may I?”
Simon surprise like everyone else on the table but then says “sure… honey but I thought you quit… I mean you say that you quit. It was a long time ago, are you still…?” “Yes… I am I just got a feeling” Claire said cheerfully looking at everyone then stands and move towards the stage. She takes mic then address everyone “ladies and gentlemen tonight, on this very special occasion for my husband I like to make this night more special for you all” looking at Mr. Bradley, who look the other way.
She sits on stool then wears her guitar belt and hold it to play, Mr. Bradley feeling very uncomfortable, he sweep his sweat from his forehead. He decides to leave but before he can stand, she plays with low notes.
“I’m glad that you came in my life
If you know what you mean to me
I know your words go hide
When you are with me
But I know what you feel for me
Even if you don’t want to tell me
And I want to say…
If the world going to ends
And it’s our last moments
Darling… what you going to say?
If someone else hold my hand
And you won’t see me again
Darling… what you going to say?
To make me stay…
Why this world scared you
You leave me all alone again
Why this world changed your mind
Come here and hold my hand
I can’t bear this cold I feel
You walk right past to me
And I want to say…
If the world going to ends
And it’s our last moments
Darling… what you going to say?
If someone else hold my hand
And you won’t see me again
Darling… what you going to say?
To make me stay…
I know you never understand
I know you never come again
I know you leave me to die…
Oh… stranger on the other side”
Mr. Bradley raises his head to look her, her voice pierce through his heart. He understand everything now when she sings.
Stranger on the other side…
Stranger on the other side
You take away… my soul
And I want to say…
If the world going to ends
And it’s our last moments
Darling… what you going to say?
If you stand and hold my hand
I’ll stay with you till the end
Darling… what you going to say?
To make me stay…
He panically stands as everyone standing and applauding on Claire’s perform, he heard something that make so terrified. He walks out of the hall quickly, leaving Judy in surprise who call his name but he didn’t listen and leave. Claire standing on stage, watching him leaves so quickly.
“No... No way, it can’t be” Mr. Bradley thinks and driving as fast as he can. He stop at his house quickly runs inside, he enters in his library.
He starts searching something in his bookshelf then in the lower cabinet.
He was panicking when he can’t find what he’s looking for then runs in his bedroom and in his wardrobe, he open his lower cabinet. He was tense, wrinkles and sweat on his forehead.
Then suddenly his frighten expression increase when he saw a black cover diary, he quickly take it out and open it, folding its paper like he’s searching for something written in it.
Then stop, his expression turn to calm down and he get surprise as he read aloud
“Stranger on the other side
You take away my soul…”
It’s her… it’s her, Oh God… it’s her” he thought then slowly sits on the floor and cuddle. It was so surprising for him to see that, some lyrics he writes when he was in his college years thinking about the girl he will fall in love was the same one Claire sings tonight.
He was thinking about her, the way she looks at him tonight, all the hopes she had with him ends tonight with her song.
CHAPTER 20
When Judy enters in the house, it was midnight. She walks in the lounge and saw Mr. Bradley. He was sleeping on couch, liquor bottle and glass half full. His diary falling open on his chest and his hands are over it like he was reading it.
She was so confused about why he runs away from the party, when she saw the diary she remembers when they were in college. She always saw Mr. Bradley with this diary, she always saw him sitting alone from his group and writing something in his diary. It makes her more curious to know what’s in his diary.
“Brad… what do you write in it?” one day Judy asks him when they were in college cafeteria sitting with their friends.
“Nothing special… just some pointless poetry” Mr. Bradley replies.
“Oh… Judy this diary is Brad’s dream journal and he writes in it about his dream girl” Andy mock Mr. Bradley, everyone laugh and Mr. Bradley smiles then look at him with wide open eyes as it was signal to make him stop.
“Really Brad… who is that girl?” Judy asked curiously.
“I don’t know Judy and don’t listen to him”
“Yeah… don’t listen to me Judy but trust me in this journal… secrets lies of Bradley Rick’s love world” Andy said dramatically and e
verybody laugh.
“Shut up Andy or I will really break your nose” Mr. Bradley said in modesty. Judy smile too but she kept a promise to herself to read this diary.
After the college she never saw Mr. Bradley writing again, even after three years of marriage she never saw this diary before today. She was surprise that why he bring it up again after so many years, what’s written in this diary.
Next morning when Mr. Bradley wakes up he found Judy sitting infront of him on table with coffee mug in her hand.
He was surprise but he not in his complete conscious then raise to sit slowly, his head ache so he put his hand on his head.
“Coffee?” Judy said giving him the mug.
“Thanks” Mr. Bradley said as he takes it, after a moment he remembers he left her alone at the party last night.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to leave you alone. I just remember something important…”
“Something more important than me?” Judy asks softly with smile. Mr. Bradley feels embarrassed when she asks; he can’t look in her eyes. “I’m really sorry Judy… I should’ve called you before I leave. It won’t happen again… I’m sorry” Mr. Bradley said hesitantly.
“It’s okay Brad… I forgive you” Judy said then sits next to him and holds his hand. Mr. Bradley feels so guilty inside him like he has done some crime; her love for him makes him weaker to think about himself.
“That’s your college diary… right? I haven’t seen it in a while. I thought you lost it” Judy said looking at the diary, she try to take it slowly but Mr. Bradley put it the table as he don’t want her to read it.
Mr. Bradley moves his finger in his hairs the slowly said “yeah… I was remembering our college time… I gonna get fresh… ok” and stand to leave with diary but Judy knows it is not true. There is something he’s trying to hide from her and it is in that diary, but why? It makes her more worried.
The next morning, start of new week but the end of November. He dresses up as usual in navy blue suit, white button-undershirt with red tie and black shoes.
He was keep praying in his heart that she come to the signal today because he wants to see her, he wants to talk to her. He looks himself in mirror, then down his head.
He knows there is no point of all of this “I promise myself I don’t see her again then why my heart keep praying to see her, of course she come… she always come… then why I’m praying for it” he deeply inhales. A war between his mind and heart never let him peace.
His was sleeping; he quietly takes his long coat and bag then leave. He was feeling very sad but he was walking fast today than usual. He was not wearing his shades, a hope in his heart keep accelerating him.
He reached to the signal, waiting for it to turn green like everyone else. He’s not looking at the other side, a fear of breaking his hope making him so weak. He start walking when the crowd move, he raised his head slowly when he feels she’s not here and look around while walking.
Then down his head, and he walks toward his office. His hope breaks, a little painful sting in his heart. She will not come again, he can’t see her again all of these thought surrounds his mind.
“So you were serious… I thought you are joking, you are leaving for sure?” Annie asked in low tune. Claire was putting her belongings in the box; they were in Claire’s office.
She was leaving today, “yeah… I am, Annie” Claire said. She was grey sleeve-less dress which was form-fitting with white ballet shoes, her hairs fall freely on her shoulder like she don’t care how she look, sadness in her voice worries Annie. She always sees Claire active and happy, she knows her for five years but now her depressed expression confuses Annie.
“Means you don’t understands the reasons I give you to not to leave” Annie said smiling. “Annie I told you, I need a break… plus mom calls me and she’s missing me so much” she take a moment pause then said “I miss my life back home”
“Listen babe… I understand but that doesn’t mean you have to quit your job, everyone is so upset and I don’t know how David let you go!” Annie insists her to change her mind.
“David didn’t fire me I quit… and that my right okay… I don’t have any more projects left and I finished my last one” she said putting her mug and pictures in her box.
She was taking her stickers out of the board she put of her office wall when Annie said “I don’t understand … two weeks ago we were talking about going to England and now you quitting for the job” folding her arms, she was very upset with Claire’s decision.
Claire keeps quite like she didn’t listen to her but before Annie repeat her question, Trevor enters in her office and said “boss accepts your resignation and Jimmy is completing your papers… did he come here?”
“No…” Claire said, “Why don’t you bring them?” Annie said annoyingly.
“I can’t… I need to call electrician”
“Why… everything okay?” Annie asked, Claire still doing her packing.
“There is some wiring problem on fourth floor and Walden said it could be serious… so I’m in a rush” Trevor said
“Its fine Trevor, I collect them myself… thanks for everything” Claire said simply. Trevor look at her for a moment then said “I will miss you Claire” Claire smile at him then said “yeah… me too”.
CHAPTER 21
“Hey Brad... did you complete your report? We got a meeting at lunch” Andy shouts at Mr. Bradley office door then move to leave but stop as he realizes he didn’t listen to him.
“Brad? Brad?” Andy calls him and waves his hand infront of him. “Still here or lost in Narnia” Andy joked and accept him to laugh but Mr. Bradley didn’t.
“Yeah…what” Mr. Bradley said, looking in his files “did you complete your report?” Andy said roughly.
“Yeah… I just complete it” he replied, Andy notices his mind is not present “okay… well meeting is at lunch” Andy said, but Mr. Bradley didn’t say anything so he asks again “are you okay Brad…” and sits on the chair.
“Yeah… why?” Mr. Bradley asks.
“I don’t know I feel like you are in some kind of stress. I call you twice yesterday but you didn’t returns my calls and you didn’t ask me either. I was stressed and I need you” Andy said making a duck face, which make Mr. Bradley smile “I’m sorry Andy and why do you need?” he asks trying to ignore the first part of his question and Andy notice that but didn’t say anything.
“Annie was so stressed and I don’t know how to cheer her up. I thought you could help me with this because you know very well how to make someone happy” it was a credit but to Mr. Bradley it felt like a slap on his face because he knows he hurt Claire so much.
“Hello” Andy calls him again, “I ask you to help me? And you lost again in your dreams”
“Yeah… you should find out the reason which upset her and try to solve it for her, when she sees your efforts she will definitely get impress with you”
“I can’t solve the problem Brad… it’s not up to me. If her friends wants to quit her job and leave the city what can I do about that? I plan our date for so long and what she talk about “she’s going to leave the city… she’s quitting her job. Why she want to leave? She was so happy” Andy said acting like Annie.
It makes Mr. Bradley smile, he was doing his work “she told me we will go to England and now she’s leaving forever” I don’t understand why she put so drama in it”
“I thought you really like her” Mr. Bradley said, “I do Brad… finally I’m thinking to settle down but she’s so upset these days, I don’t know when I talk to her about us? Just all the time “she’s going Andy… she’s going” I really need a break” Andy said.
“She…? Who” Mr. Bradley asked, “Annie’s best friend… you know her too… Claire, Claire Wilson” Andy said normally checking his cell phone.
Mr. Bradley get attention, he stop and panically asked to Andy “what… she’
s leaving the city?” Andy looks him for a moment then said “yeah… sadly”
Mr. Bradley realizes his sudden reaction suspect Andy, “why… she was so good at her job” Mr. Bradley asked to get to know the reason.
Andy thinks something then said “you like her work? Right, now she’s not going to be around anymore… you know I bet” Andy came close to table and put his arms on the table.
“she had a big fight with her husband… that’s why she’s leaving… c’mon we all know Simon Wilson play boy image… she must been find out he’s cheating on her and don’t love her anymore. She get hurt, that’s why she’s leaving” Andy said softly.
Mr. Bradley look him in shock, Claire was hurt, she did find out Mr. Bradley don’t love her and that’s why she’s leaving the city. Andy stands then says something and leave but Mr. Bradley can only listen “she’s leaving and not coming back”
She was on fourth floor to collect her papers, she enter in Jimmy Chang’s cubicle. A middle-aged burette person working when Claire said “hi Jimmy”
“Hey Claire… sit down”
“You ready my paper works” Claire asked, she was in hurry, wants to leave this place as soon as possible.
“Oh hey… just a second, c’mon where did I put you” Jimmy said while finding her papers. There were so many people in office; Claire was in her thoughts when Jimmy calls her “Claire”
“You need to sign here” Claire takes pen from him to sign “I thought you are going to England… Annie tells everyone that your project with Hostos was very good then why are you leaving” Jimmy asks normally doing his work.
When Claire heard, she remembers their meetings, Mr. Bradley’s rude behavior with her and even she tells him everything in the song he didn’t care about her.
“Claire, did you sign it?” Jimmy asks again, Claire nod then asks “where’s the washroom?” her voice get heavy in the last. “Straight and then right” Jimmy said and she leaves quickly, her pain waiting to come out in tears.
Jimmy suddenly remembers and shouts “but careful its door gets jammed sometime… I hope she’d hear me” then get he back on his work. She did not listen to him, she was thinking all about Mr. Bradley. She runs in the ladies washroom and lock the door, she was alone there and start crying, standing in front of basin.