After reading their love story, I cried and was affected by how their love story ends. I just realized that bridge is not just a bridge but it is connected for two people and the love that was never was.
I thought about love. I realized that I loved my career more than the person around me. It made me also realize that time is too short to tell someone that you love them. It is the same thing that I have for my Grandfather and my Mother. When I lost my father, we did not have much time to spend. I just spent one day with him, my Grandfather and twice a year with my Mother. The rest are just some memories of my childhood. As I turned the pages of the book, I saw a letter. I read the letter as it was handwritten by someone and well preserved.
To my beloved Antonio,
I am so delighted to see you that you live your life the way we have dreamt together. I am sorry that I am not beside you while achieving your goals in life. Yet, your hard work, patience, and perseverance paid off. As you grew from a boy to a man. People in this town loved you dearly and looked at you with much respect. You still possessed a humble heart, respect with others and above all, your undisputed kindness in spite of your fame and wealth.
Years had passed and lost my memory, but my heart still belongs to you. The ring that you gave me, I am still wearing it until this day. My love for you never lost, even my mind forgot who you are. I am so sorry for being selfish that I am still in love with you in spite you already have a beautiful family. I watch you every day and hear your laughter with your sons. I feel jealous whenever you are with your wife. I am hoping that I am that person, the way we both planned it. Things have changed and never will I turn back time.
My Antonio, looking at you afar tells me that you are not happy. I can see the inner you. Your silence kills me as I want to rush in your arms and comfort you. I resisted as I do not want to ruin your family life. I remember how you flew white butterflies as it reminds us of our anniversary. I am so happy that you haven't forgotten me. At the same time, my heart strikes a thousand knives as this is all wrong. You have been unfair with your wife, who loves you so much.
Though I know that the inner you shows belongingness to someone that merges in your eyes. I can see your regrets, pain and sadness everyday of my life. Your pain is also the thousand of pains that kill me inside, your regrets are also my regret for forgetting you and your sadness is my sadness that what I can do is to cry at night and fall asleep.
The day that we decided to elope, is the happiest day of my life. That finally we can be together, as husband and wife. That decision is the best decision I made, even my father will get angry at me. I will never forget that for the rest of my life till my second life. The day that boat swept away, I woke up on a shore in a different town. An old maiden helped me and taught me how to sew. The only I have with me is the ring that you gave me on my birthday.
For twenty years, my mind cannot dwell with you but my heart does. The day that my memory comes back to senses, I flew immediately here in Fides to find you back in your arms and rekindle our love, but I was too late. I became your wife's servant to be with you every day.
Watching over you and making sure that you are happy with your life. Whenever you are at the bridge, I'd like to run to you, feel your arms around me. The tree that we used as our meeting place is where I stood as you walked on the bridge.
My love for you never fades throughout the years as my heart belongs to you always. Though, I often heard you and your wife fight. Every night, I heard your wife begging you to love her. It cuts my heart into several pieces as it is my fault of not letting you as I am still holding the past. I am still holding you, my Antonio.
Letting you go will poison my heart, but it is the best for all of us. Free your heart of pain, regrets and sadness as your wife loves you unconditionally. Free your heart as you will never find the true meaning of happiness. Our love story ends, the day the boat swept.
This is goodbye, my Antonio. May you live your life well and set yourself with your regrets.
Arabella
Tears fell into my eyes as I read the letter of Arabella. For the love of Antonio, she left the town and bid goodbye forever. I already know the history of the Lock Bridge. It gave me a moral lesson about love. I also understand what the man said before I went to the library. This is the lesson that I will never forget in my entire life. Letting go for your loved one is not that easy, but if you really love the person, let go for his or her happiness. The decision that Arabella made is not easy as well as Antonio. I am just wondering how their lives went when they both part their ways.
I spent several hours at library seating and dwelling on the letter that I read. I cannot move on as my heart stumbles and feels their love for each other. Their forbidden love. A love that was never was. It also comes to my mind that not all love stories are happily ever after. Life is not a bed of roses as they sayAfter I read it, I went back to the computerized machine and returned the book that I read. As for the perks of the library, I went to a cafe to get tea, biscotti ala cocco and tozzetti. I enjoyed the view and looked at the mansion where Arabella and Antonio live. Now it is now Fides' Common Hall. After I had a snack, I went to the common hall to see what the mansion looks like. I thanked the cameriere for the snack as I bid goodbye. I crossed to the Lock Bridge and saw the Fides Common Hall. I looked at the map and it seems that the common hall is one of the famous tourist attractions. I am very excited about what is inside the common hall. When I entered, the style was in a baroque period with a huge chandelier above and paintings on the ceilings and walls. It turned back in the 17th century. At the middle of the entrance I saw the statue of Great Lord Lorenzo Santino De Luca Ricci. I knew the fact that he is the father of Arabella. As I strolled through the common hall, I saw one gallery of paintings. "Excuse me." I called the woman's attention. "Yes, how can I help?" the woman said. "Can I enter the gallery?" I asked her. "Sure, it is open to the public." she told me as she smiled on me. I am so excited to see the gallery as I am fond of paintings.