Lucia endlessly waited for Jay to return home. She had suspected that he could have gone to see Manuel.
'What could Jay be up to?' she thought, 'I hope he doesn't do anything stupid, I can't stop but to worry.'
She waited some more but to no avail, she therefore decided to spend her evening at the park.
The park which was just a few blocks away stretched away into a distant flower-beds, trees and heavy shrubs. Near the main gate was a large boating-pond. A number of brighty painted boats rested at anchor in the middle of the pond. Tennis courts to the right of the pond were deserted. The net hung slackly, and the white lines stood out sharply against the green grass.
It was now sunset. If it had been a weekend, no doubt even at that hour, the park would have been crowded, but it was only Wednesday, and most people had work to do.
So, at this hour she only found not more than ten people at the park and most of them were love birds, busy having a great time and doing what lovers do.
Feeling completely out of place, she went ahead and sat on the beach which was left abandoned and at the far end of the park.
'I guess nobody wants you either, huh?' she said to the bench, sat down and started sobbing mildly.
She raised her legs on the beach and hid her face in her hands and sobbed a little more.
Then as she started to wipe the tears off her face, she thought as if she was dreaming, when she saw someone just like Manuel coming in front of her.
She didn't know what prompted her to stand up with her mouth half open, because she couldn't believe it, she thought she was just seeing things that weren't really there.
After all, Manuel was so absorbed with his life as something that mattered to him. Not being here, coming close to the woman he had never wanted to love and never learned to trust.
Full of surprise she asked, "Manuel is it really you? I mean what are you doing here, I don't feel like talking to you."
No sooner has she tried to walk away from him, than he got hold of her hand.
"Lucia, please don't go just yet, just hear me out, it's very important."
"so you knew I was going to be here?"
"well, not really. The thing is that, the first time we met it was in this park, on the very same beach, so I figured, in this kind of situation this is the first place you would decide to come."
"You mean you had everything planned out, huh? You dumping me and knowing that am going to be here, you came to completely finish me. Isn't that your brilliant plan?"
Manuel shuddered with remembered agony.
"Am really sorry Lucia."
"Don't you think it's rather late for that?"
He groaned, hugged her, and buried his face in her pale and fragrant hair.
"My darling Lucia, I know I'm an idiot, inclined to jump to all the wrong conclusions, but that doesn't mean I'm fool enough to think I can manage without you."
Manuel cupped her face tenderly in both his hands as he said; "Forget about what I said and listen to what am going to say, I stopped listening to my head and paid attention to my heart, for a change."
Lucia thought that there had never been anything she'd ever wanted to believe quite as badly as she wanted to believe his words.
"I'm not sure I know what to make of that, Manuel."
Manuel pulled Lucia down on the bench beside him.
"I mean it when I say that I you, Lucia, and there's no use my fighting it, cause it's a war I can't win and I don't like to lose."
She shook her head.
"I don't know. It's just that I find it hard to believe that this is really happening. I keep thinking I must be in shock...that we both are...or that you're being impulsive and that you'll wake up in the morning and wish you hadn't said you-"
"I'm sorry," he whispered objectly. "Sorry for hurting you, for ever having doubted you, or my feelings for you. I probably don't deserve your love or your forgiveness, but..."
With painstaking care, she outlined her mouth.
"I don't have all the answers, Manuel, or maybe I'm just not ready to face them yet. All I can tell you right now is that I've always loved you and I'll always be fixed with you Manuel, and from where I stand, that's a beginning not an end. Despite all your hash and hurtful words and treatment I knew you would come round and think straight again, cause this isn't the first time this has happened to us, so am kind of used by now. "
His fingertips stole down her throat to her waist, a gentle touch that set her blood on fire and melted all her reservations.
Her mouth blindly seeking his, she closed her eyes and sank against him, desire swarming over her skin in tiny electric impulse.
"How slender and lovely you are." He muttered, his mouth desperately seeking hers, his hands caressing the span of her waist then sliding with unconcerned hunger over the fragrant skin that swathed the gentle flare of her hips.
"All I need is your love, my heart is bleeding for you." she said twining her arms around his neck and held him close.
"Thank you for giving me another chance Lucia, I promise I won't let you down this time, I swear."
When it was three hours to midnight they decided to leave the park and Manuel took Lucia home.
"Goodnight Lucia I love you so much, am going to call you tomorrow morning. Sleep well, will you?"
"I love you more, Manuel. Am going to be waiting for your call, take care of yourself and drive safely."
They passionately kissed goodbye and went separate ways, Manuel to his car and Lucia through the door leading to the main passage and finally to her bedroom.