She opened her eyes after long journey. She had fallen
asleep in 4 hours back due to travel sickness and tears. She knew this was a
big decision that she had taken. Her parents and all siblings already left the Paris.
But she was coming back to Paris. She had promised herself that this would be her
last attempt to save the relationship. War is the obstacle. But he is more important to her than anything
else. She had made a decision of visiting him despite the issues. She wanted
him in her life at any cost.
She reached the railway station in the morning. then to the
hotel. She wore his favorite winter cloth and his favorite perfume in the
evening. It was a very cold day on month of April in 1940 in Paris, so she wore the wool gloves in hands
and put scarf on her neck. She dressed up just the way he liked her. 'One last
time' she thought. She got this tough decision not considering even her life. She
left to meet him.
She called him by a telephone booth. He answered. They
decided to meet for coffee shop. She spotted him on her way to the coffee shop.
She called him. They met. No hugs, no kisses..Just a plain 'Hello' with a
broken smile. They walked together. The beauty of every moment they spent
together had disappeared. She had asked the coffee shop waiter to reserve their
favorite coffee table for them and had pre-ordered their favorites. Their eyes
met for the first time after months. She had the same sparkle in her eyes.
Sadly, he seemed distant. They spoke about him - Army, friends, Soccer, German
invasion and life. He did not enquire about her. She felt the distance. He was
about to leave but she wanted to extend the date. She asked him for a walk. He nodded
“Yes”.
They went to the city park. She wanted to flaunt him. He
seemed lost. She got the hint. They saw lots of people say good bye to each
others. Lots of men were in army uniforms. Most of the ladies were hugging their
loved ones and crying on their shoulders. There were some foreign couples also,
and they talking to each others in rush. She did not understand the languages.
He took all the pains to translate to her. She felt the closeness. She held his
hand. She was shattered. Her heart was broken into a million pieces. They went
to a bench and sat on it. She didn’t want to pass this time. She wanted to stop
the world right there forever. Then war will never come and she was able to
stay on his arms forever.
Now it almost around 6.00 PM. He asked her for a dinner. So she
delighted. They went to their favorite
restaurant in the Paris. They placed the same order as they always did, “Chateau
Latour” wine with Bacon sandwich. He didn’t want say anything rather
than eating. Background music was “Edi Piaf’s Sous le ciel de Paris”. He looked
in to her eyes, and tried to say something.
“You know this is not going to work out. You should have
thought about this before traveling so far to visit me." Look my darling,
war is just going to imminent. Here is not any safe a girl like you”.
“I love you…more than my life… why don’t you come with me?”
“I know and I love you too. But it is my duty to stay here
when the war begin”
“You will die, I can’t hold my breath anymore, oh god please
help me” she cried like a child.
Her heart broke.
All he said was. "This is the last time we have
met." He did this for her. He did this because he knew she would suffer
the most if this relationship continued. But he had no alternative than
breaking up with her.
She cried and cried for rivers.
He knew he had lost a big piece of his heart that day. He
knew she would make his life more beautiful. But he had no choice. War is going
to ruined everyone’s life in the world. Then they left the Restaurant. He
volunteered to drop her to the railway station after the dinner. It was a long walk.
While they walk she leaned on his body as much as she can. It
was late at night and the roads were empty. Night was so freezing. Number of policemen
were going here and there almost everywhere in Paris. The road was lit by the street-lamp
alone. She wanted life to stop there. She held him tight at once and cried. Then
she felt this would be their last walk together.
They reached the railway station. Everything had gone well
but she knew this was not enough to stay with him. She stood quiet and waited
for him to speak.
He spoke.
“I don’t know whether I survive the war or not, but I wanted
you to survive. That’s why I asked you to move from Paris.”
“But…I don’t want to live without you, my love”
He didn’t speak anything and hugged her for last time and
kissed her trembling lips. Then she walked to the train with a heavy head once
again. Train was full packed for leaving. She got in to the train and disappeared
in the crowd. He was there until train blow the last whistle for leaving.
