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Sammy had also been drinking this time. He punched Raph hard and then stormed off, fuelled by booze and rage.
“Sammy!” Raph had yelled after him, but Sammy had gone without looking back.
After that, Raph started dating more women. Some of of them Sammy had hired, while others had come to Raph on their own since he had started to get rich.
Sammy had one of those women record her meeting with Raph one day. Then, he forwarded the video right to Tonia’s inbox.
Sammy assumed that Tonia would definitely depart after more than ten years of cheating. But he didn’t think she could take it.
She had cried, battled, and lost it. But in the end, she always forgave.
But this time, Sammy finally got it. Tonia could let go of Raph, but she didn’t want to. She couldn’t let go of the single thing that had kept her going all these years.
Raph had been the one to help her through her worst times. She was so scared of being sad again that she held on to him firmly and wouldn’t let go, no matter what.
She was afraid that the river would take her away or the waves would pull her under.
Sammy imagined he could be her new lifeline because of that. He may take Raph’s place.
Ayra was an unexpected extra. Sammy felt it was time when he found out that Raph had been with her.
He waited six months before Tonia eventually called. When he answered the phone, the hand that had held the cigarette shook.
Tonia’s voice was raspy because she had been sobbing. “Where are you?”
Sammy had felt the blood surging through his body. “Room 3601 at the Star Hotel.”
She knocked on his door half an hour later and finally entered his life.
Sammy had sighed as he held her in his arms at their most private moment. He wouldn’t let her go now that she had come to him.
Tonia had been getting lunch ready all morning. She was shocked when Sammy ate virtually all of the meal in front of him.
“Sammy, have you not eaten anything in the last few days?”
“Yes,” Sammy said. “I went on a business trip.”
“Didn’t they give you food on your trip?”
“The food here is still the best. I didn’t like the food.”
He felt something touch his foot all of a sudden. He looked down and spotted a golden retriever.
Mingol went slowly and panted deeply as she fought to take each step. She waddled by him and fell at Tonia’s feet.
She petted Mingol’s fur and asked, “Mingol, you remember Sammy, right?”
“You went back?” Sammy asked.
“Yes, to bring Mingol over.”
“Why didn’t you bring the rest of your things? Where are they?”
Tonia gazed down. “I’ve packed everything. I’ll move right away once I find a place. I don’t want to take up space here, and I don’t want to have to move everything twice.”
“Is it a lot?” Sammy asked.
“Not really. Just three boxes.”
“Do you have plans for this afternoon?”
“No. Why?”
“Come on. I’ll help you move.”
He took his car keys and went to the door. But Tonia stayed still.
Sammy asked, “What’s wrong?”
Tonia took a big breath, as if she were getting ready to do something. “I don’t need to. I’ve already hired movers.”
“So?”
“I’ll pay the rent and utilities for the last few days.”
“I don’t need any money.”
Tonia looked up at him and said, “Sammy, let’s be reasonable about this. Let’s not let it get out of hand, okay?”
Sammy looked up. “You think this is a joke?”
“Is it not?”
Sammy said, “No.” “Tonia, you’re smart. You should know what I really want.”
Tonia’s chest got constricted. “That’s not possible.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re Raph’s cousin!” she yelled.
Sammy just smiled. “Is that all?”
“Isn’t that reason enough?”
“I thought you were going to tell me you didn’t love me.”
Tonia stopped talking.
He went on, “As long as that’s not the reason, everything else is fine.” “You don’t have to worry about the rest. I’ll take care of it.”
Tonia quickly found a place to live and moved in with Mingol. But the new flat had some problems because she was in a hurry.
The unit was newly rented and in a relatively deserted region, and it didn’t have any useful utilities. But Mingol was thrilled since there was a big grassy area downstairs where she could play.
Every day, Tonia took her out for walks in the pram she bought. Mingol’s health was getting worse, and even walking a few steps made her breathless.
The doctor told her to get ready for the worst after a trip to the vet because Mingol’s condition could get worse at any time. Tonia spent as much time as she could with her and tried to make her dying days as happy as they could be.
Matt Duckman, her old class representative, called on the weekend to invite her and Raph to his son’s first birthday party. Tonia didn’t notify Raph and went to the event by herself in a cab.
The party took place at a restaurant in the middle of the city. Mingol’s clinginess made her a little late, so when she got there, most of the visitors were already there.
Matt was not the thin guy he used to be. He was now a father and had a round belly because he was married and had a child. He was extremely happy to hold his son.
Tonia came up with a smile. “Matt, congratulations! You have a wife and child, which is the best thing ever!”
“Sammy!” Raph had yelled after him, but Sammy had gone without looking back.
After that, Raph started dating more women. Some of of them Sammy had hired, while others had come to Raph on their own since he had started to get rich.
Sammy had one of those women record her meeting with Raph one day. Then, he forwarded the video right to Tonia’s inbox.
Sammy assumed that Tonia would definitely depart after more than ten years of cheating. But he didn’t think she could take it.
She had cried, battled, and lost it. But in the end, she always forgave.
But this time, Sammy finally got it. Tonia could let go of Raph, but she didn’t want to. She couldn’t let go of the single thing that had kept her going all these years.
Raph had been the one to help her through her worst times. She was so scared of being sad again that she held on to him firmly and wouldn’t let go, no matter what.
She was afraid that the river would take her away or the waves would pull her under.
Sammy imagined he could be her new lifeline because of that. He may take Raph’s place.
Ayra was an unexpected extra. Sammy felt it was time when he found out that Raph had been with her.
He waited six months before Tonia eventually called. When he answered the phone, the hand that had held the cigarette shook.
Tonia’s voice was raspy because she had been sobbing. “Where are you?”
Sammy had felt the blood surging through his body. “Room 3601 at the Star Hotel.”
She knocked on his door half an hour later and finally entered his life.
Sammy had sighed as he held her in his arms at their most private moment. He wouldn’t let her go now that she had come to him.
Tonia had been getting lunch ready all morning. She was shocked when Sammy ate virtually all of the meal in front of him.
“Sammy, have you not eaten anything in the last few days?”
“Yes,” Sammy said. “I went on a business trip.”
“Didn’t they give you food on your trip?”
“The food here is still the best. I didn’t like the food.”
He felt something touch his foot all of a sudden. He looked down and spotted a golden retriever.
Mingol went slowly and panted deeply as she fought to take each step. She waddled by him and fell at Tonia’s feet.
She petted Mingol’s fur and asked, “Mingol, you remember Sammy, right?”
“You went back?” Sammy asked.
“Yes, to bring Mingol over.”
“Why didn’t you bring the rest of your things? Where are they?”
Tonia gazed down. “I’ve packed everything. I’ll move right away once I find a place. I don’t want to take up space here, and I don’t want to have to move everything twice.”
“Is it a lot?” Sammy asked.
“Not really. Just three boxes.”
“Do you have plans for this afternoon?”
“No. Why?”
“Come on. I’ll help you move.”
He took his car keys and went to the door. But Tonia stayed still.
Sammy asked, “What’s wrong?”
Tonia took a big breath, as if she were getting ready to do something. “I don’t need to. I’ve already hired movers.”
“So?”
“I’ll pay the rent and utilities for the last few days.”
“I don’t need any money.”
Tonia looked up at him and said, “Sammy, let’s be reasonable about this. Let’s not let it get out of hand, okay?”
Sammy looked up. “You think this is a joke?”
“Is it not?”
Sammy said, “No.” “Tonia, you’re smart. You should know what I really want.”
Tonia’s chest got constricted. “That’s not possible.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re Raph’s cousin!” she yelled.
Sammy just smiled. “Is that all?”
“Isn’t that reason enough?”
“I thought you were going to tell me you didn’t love me.”
Tonia stopped talking.
He went on, “As long as that’s not the reason, everything else is fine.” “You don’t have to worry about the rest. I’ll take care of it.”
Tonia quickly found a place to live and moved in with Mingol. But the new flat had some problems because she was in a hurry.
The unit was newly rented and in a relatively deserted region, and it didn’t have any useful utilities. But Mingol was thrilled since there was a big grassy area downstairs where she could play.
Every day, Tonia took her out for walks in the pram she bought. Mingol’s health was getting worse, and even walking a few steps made her breathless.
The doctor told her to get ready for the worst after a trip to the vet because Mingol’s condition could get worse at any time. Tonia spent as much time as she could with her and tried to make her dying days as happy as they could be.
Matt Duckman, her old class representative, called on the weekend to invite her and Raph to his son’s first birthday party. Tonia didn’t notify Raph and went to the event by herself in a cab.
The party took place at a restaurant in the middle of the city. Mingol’s clinginess made her a little late, so when she got there, most of the visitors were already there.
Matt was not the thin guy he used to be. He was now a father and had a round belly because he was married and had a child. He was extremely happy to hold his son.
Tonia came up with a smile. “Matt, congratulations! You have a wife and child, which is the best thing ever!”