Summer Sunset
Irene Ning

(1,097 words)
The gentle swishing salt water washed upon the fine shore of golden, gleaming sand, crashing onto colourful sea-shells of all shapes and sizes as I walked on this shore...this shore comparable to the Garden of Eden in which dwelled the rebellious Adam and Eve...This sudden thought that sprang to my mind made me closed my eyes, focusing instead on the heavenly sound and sweet scent of the beach. The same alluring smell of Michael...I still
remembered, though the images are conjured to me now in a series of mist, for I had longed to forget this ignorant love of ours, which was like a plunging knife embedded in the depth of my fragile, love-torn heart.

I opened my eyes as suddenly as I had shut them, as if staying in the darkness for a second longer would curse my soul into the eternal darkest corner of hell. I began strolling along the coastline again, my movement getting swifter until it finally broke into a joyous run as I reached
out for my pretty straw hat with a couple of fake flowers attached to it and threw it into the blue foamy waves, my summer dress trailing behind me as the wind unleashed its ferocity in the form of a gentle breeze, howling and beating upon my blushed face and voluminous strawberry-blonde hair.

What a sensation I felt, the freeness and gaiety...like a bird soaring high above the sky as I extended my arms and pretended to be a bird of my imagination, circling bare-footed and leaping on the cool grainy sand. For once, I felt happy and it managed to drive me to tears. And that is when I broke down and fell on my knees, my hands hiding those hot, shameful tears, trying my best to make it stop.

I could not believe here I was, lamenting on the grief of my lost of Michael, which had since that day turned a month. So I was in this state for half a month all this time, uncontrollable mood-swings, constant flowing of warm tears at chilly, lonely nights as the evil shadows pounced upon my lonely silhouette, mocking and jeering at its victim without pitiness. It was then that I decided to fight back against my invisible preys, changed my hair colour, went for a great many shopping sprees and made heaps of new friends through clubs and discotheques.

A few men had tried hitting on me, with their twinkling eyes and luscious lips, poised ready to explore my own pouty lips, but it would never have happened, for I would suddenly get to my senses and pushed them away from their gentle grips on my shoulders. They reminded me too much of Michael...but yet they were not him...In the core of my heart, I knew no one could ever replace the real Michael that I had once loved and still did...

As my mind reflected on my thought, a gentle hand suddenly brushed over my hair and I gave a gasp and looked up. There he was...the face I had dreamt every night in my dreams...the one I had been longing for all my life and been hoping that destiny would be kind enough to let him belong to me forever and ever...

"Tenille..." he whispered my name and my body gave a slight tremble.

It was much too shocking for me. I looked down at the sand surrounding both of us and tried forcing a smile, then gazed up at him and with a brilliant smile, greeted him, "Hello Michael!" It was at this point that tears started gushing into my eyes again and Michael took me in his arms immediately, embracing me with such strength that I was unable to break free from his arms. He began speaking to me in a low voice.

"How I've missed you...All this time, I've had my time away, reflecting on our relationship. I thought I'd done what was right...but now I realize how wrong I was to abandon you. Please forgive me Tenille..."

I struggled in his embrace and tried pushing him away as the anger built up once again, the hatred I felt for him when he left me a note one year ago, explaining our relationship was over and he would never come back again. Soon, I was so desperate that I began hitting and kicking him hard, but he lifted me up in his arms, leaving my legs kicking aimlessly in the air.

"Let me go you bastard!! I don't ever wanna see you again!" I screamed while crying on the deserted beach in the setting sun. In response to that, he lowered his mouth to mine and began kissing me gently. Unexpectedly, I began responding and between gaps, he told me he promised to love me forever, never leaving me again. Later, as we sat beneath a coconut tree, watching the sun setting, wrapped up in each other's embrace, he confessed to me his reason for leaving. He had discovered he had brain cancer and being the considerate type he was, he decided to leave me, not wanting me to know the truth, but leaving me the impression of him being worthless and uncaring, as he treated me coldly the last few weeks before he decided to leave my life without my knowledge.

I cuddled up close to this man that I loved deeply and held his hands, staring lovingly into his eyes as he continued.

"So you see my dear Tenille...I had rented an apartment opposite the club you always went to, and I saw all these men around you, looking at you with prospect of taking you to bed. My heart ached...you know how damn much I love you??"

I squeezed his hand and gave it a light kiss.

"I know I would regret it if I don't ask you now..." he paused, reached his hand into his lapel, fumbled for a bit and at last, produced a delicate diamond-studded gold ring.

A gasp escaped from of my mouth as I stared at the ring disbelievingly. In a soft voice, he asked me," Would you be my lawfully-wedded wife...in sickness and in health..." Instantly, tears swelled up in my eyes as I clung onto him, full of love.

I look at the wedding picture of me and Michael 10 years ago and I can still remember the moment. Then my gaze went back to Michael, sitting on his favourite lounging chair, reading the newspaper. I smile and think...surely God has been good to me...

By Irene Ning,
8th September 1998