[Inspired by the song “By The
Time I Get To Phoenix,” I wrote this short story in collaboration with ChatGPT.]
Richard
stood at the foot of the crumpled bed, watching Rachel, the love of his life,
sleep like a baby. Filled with the warm glow of the city lights filtering in
through the window, the room, at 3 a.m., projected a picture of serene beauty
and bittersweet memories, with just the sound of her
soft breathing breaking the stillness of the moment.
He couldn’t
help but feel a pang of sadness as he looked around the room. The traces of
their romantic Valentine’s night littered the coffee table: half-empty bottles
of red wine and chocolates. A bunch of roses sat beside two opened gifts: one,
an elegant necklace for her, and the other, a TAG Heuer watch for him, plus a
European cruise tour for two.
He’s
awake before the crack of dawn because he’s leaving her. It was a difficult
decision, but one he felt was necessary for their future.
As he
gazed at her, he couldn’t help but think of all the memories they had shared together
in their Makati condo. The laughter, tears, and the ups and downs of their
career all seemed to be encompassed in this one space. He knew that it would be
hard to leave her, but he felt that he had made the right choice.
He
took one last look around the room, memorizing every detail, especially the
Rolls Royce car logo on the wall consisting of two letters RR which were
initials of their names.
Then, he leaned down and gently kissed her on the forehead, turned the lights out, walked out of the room, and closed the door quietly behind him.
By the
time he got to Tayabas, she'd be rising.
“I
can’t believe it,” she murmured, baffled, as she was reading his note hanging on
the door. “After all these years, he just walks out on me like that. I mean,
really? On Valentine’s day, of all days? The morning after we shared such a
special and intimate night?”
She
could feel her jumbled emotions all over the place, anger mixed with hurt and confusion.
“How
could he just leave like this?” she asked as she was sitting there trying to
make sense of it all; but, all of a sudden, she smirked. “He’s the loser. He’s
the one walking away from everything, not me.”
“I mean, let’s be real here,”
she let her thoughts wander. “I’m the more successful one. I’m the
Vice-President of a global company, and he’s just a middle manager of a small
construction outfit. I bought our condo and the two cars we drive and footed
the bill for all our living expenses with my platinum corporate credit card. I
even paid for his expensive MBA. Now, he thinks he can just walk away. He’s the
one leaving behind the lap of luxury that we’ve built together.”
“I’ve worked hard to get where
I am,” she debated with herself. “I’ve always been there for him, supporting
him and helping him build his career. And now, he’s the one who’s walking away
from all of it.”
“So, go ahead and walk away,
my dear,” she poured it on as she stared at their framed selfie together on top
of her dresser. “But know this, you’re the one who’ll be missing out. You’ll
miss the life we’ve built together, the love, and the memories. And as for me,
I’ll just keep on rising, because I am a strong, successful woman, and I don’t
need anyone to hold me back.”
By the time he made Naga, she'd be working.
Taking her lunch break, she
decided to call him. But she just heard his phone that kept on ringing because
he left it at the condo. The sight of that cell phone filled him with a sense
of dread and disgust. It’s a constant reminder of the trouble it has caused his
relationship and the pain it has brought him.
Taking his lunch, he looked
back on their latest argument. It all sparked off with an anonymous text
message he got hinting that she was having an affair with her boss. The day
before Valentine’s day, he mustered the courage to confront her about the text.
“How could you do this to me,”
he demanded, brandishing his phone with the text.
“What are you talking about?” she
asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
“This text. It says you’re
having an affair with your boss.”
“That’s just office gossip. People
are just jealous of my success. You know I would never do something like that
to you.”
As she spoke those words, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of doubt. He wanted to believe her, but the text had planted a seed of suspicion in his mind that he just couldn’t shake.
By the time he made Legazpi, she'd be sleeping. She'd turn softly and call his name out low.
On the spur of the moment, she
decided to call him on his phone. She was taken aback when she heard his cell phone
ringing on top of her dresser. She picked it up and saw a familiar text: “Rachel Dear, see you in Marina Bay Sands. Same room. Happy Valentine’s
Day! Sugar D.”
She was horrified and felt
nauseated after she read the text. Before long, she found herself crying, getting
the whole picture, ultimately, that he had left her.
All at once, everything in
that room turned achingly nostalgic. Misty-eyed, she felt sickly sweet even to
the corny lovey-dovey poem he scribbled on a piece of bond paper last Valentine’s
Day which he Scotch-taped on the wall. Weepy, she read it, in earnest, for the
first time.
Richard and Rachel, two hearts
entwine
Our love, like Rolls, shines
and shines
Enduring and impressive, a
perfect match
Just like a Rolls Royce, our
love will last
With smooth handling, and
stylish flair
Our love is a joy to see and
share
Powerful and steadfast, always
on course
Richard and Rachel, our love to
endorse
So, here’s to our love that’s
strong and true
Our love that’s just like a
Rolls, for me and you
Richard and Rachel, together
we’ll ride
With love as our engine, our journey’s our guide.
Head still collage photos courtesy of pixabaydotcom, pexeldotcom, & freepikdotcom
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