I was not the one who I used to be two years ago! I'm successful in my business that I never loved, I have a perfect life that I never chose, I have an elegant beautiful wife, that was my hypocrite parents choice, who cares the most for their picture in this hypocrite, wealthy, and snobbish society.
I decided to do something crazy, so I looked up for my old friends that of course I didn't keep in touch from a long time ago because of my father's wish.
I looked for their numbers in my old notebook and I found my best friend and my first love too, Lisa, and I called her.
She answered "Hello!"
"Hi Lisa, it is George"
"George who?"
I was surprised that she didn't even recognize my voice "George Mantgomery!"
She was silent for a while then she said in a very cool voice "Oh really, you want something!"
I was blank from her answer so I said "Why you are talking like that?"
She said angrily "because I don't need more troubles"
"what troubles!"
"Well, don't tell me that you don't know what your father did two years ago!"
"No, I don't!"
"I was sent to another branch of that company that I am working for, and I barely come to see my mother and our friends, I mean MY friends."
"Lisa believe me I didn't know, and I..."
"Look I don't need this talk, OK, you already abandoned us, what you want now."
"I am terribly sorry for what he did but I will make everything as it was, I promise."
"Ooh please, just don't promise, you don't even remember your last one!"
"what do you mean!"
"nothing George, just don't call me again please."
She put down the phone, and I remained in my astonishment; I couldn't believe that my father did that, and of course he did horrible things to the others. I need to work things out.
At that moment my wife, Emilly went into my office and said cheerfully "I want you to buy for me a chocolate fountain!"
I didn't pay any attention to her childish request so I said while I was looking in my telephone "Not now Em!"
The next morning, I went to my secretary, Ann, in her apartment to ask her for a favor.
"Look Ann I need you to do something for me, but I don't want anyone to know anything about it."
"ok boss"
"Look I have old friends, who I didn't keep in touch with, so I want you to collect some information about them"
"ok, that's sound easy"
" Well, that's not it, I want you to go to GAMA company and ask the manager to move Lisa Welson to their headquarters here"
"this will be on your recommendation. Isn't it?"
"Actually, I prefer not."
"No Mr. Mantgomery I won't do something like that especially with an old man!"
I laughed "don't worry, he is not an old man!"
My secretary always wanted to hunt a wealthy handsome guy, so I was sure that if she saw him she will accept what I wanted her to do, especially that he is young and handsome, and of course wealthy! I showed her his picture and she said cheerfully "Mama mia! ok, I will do it".
After two days she told me that everything is done, and she began to collect information about the others.
One day I found Lisa's number ringing on my phone so I answered cheerfully but of course I spoke just like her during our last conversation "Hello!"
"Hi, it is Lisa."
"Lisa who?"
"Lisa Welson!"
"Oh really, you want something!"
"Come on George, stop acting like a baby boy, I know you made the manager move me to the headquarter again, thank you, so what do you want back?"
"really! you think I am doing this for something!"
"I am sure that you want something, you are calling after all these years for nothing!"
"I miss my friends! is that much!"
"what else?"
"And I hate my life, my job, my new wealthy friends.. and my w..."
I couldn't say it because Lisa and I used to love each other, besides she was upset when she knew that I was going to marry Emilly. I broke up with her because of my father! He wanted me to marry a wealthy girl.
"your what!"
"nothing Liz"
"Ooh Liz, you still remember what you used to call me...ok, look George this weekend I will meet our friends at Mikey's place, come if you want."
"ok, I would like to come, does he live at the same place?"
"yes, he just changed his girlfriend!"
"really, who is his new victim"
"No, not a victim, he changed a lot after the death of his ex"
I was stunned "Oh, I am sorry"
"It is ok...After her death he changed a lot, he became very mature."
"that's good"
"yes, he is actually getting married to his girlfriend soon"
"wow, nice, am I invited?"
"Sure, Mikey is not rude anymore"
we finished our conversation that lasted for three hours. I was happy just like a teenage boy!
Suddenly I found my wife coming in saying cheerfully:
"Let's have dinner outside today!"
I accepted her invitation and then she said while we were eating "I have a surprise for you!" I looked to her attentively, She got out two tickets and said "I bought two tickets to Hawaii for this weekend!"
I said with a surprise "Oh No, I will be busy this weekend."
She said with a sad voice "why? You have other plans? You never had! that's why I bought those tickets."
"Sorry, but I will go to see some old friends."
She smiled and said with a happily "ok, nice, I will join you."
"I don't think that this will be a good idea, you don't know anyone of them."
"it is ok, you will introduce me to them"
"they are all men."
she became sad again and said while she was looking to her watch "ok, let's go home, I'm tired"
"Sorry Em but..."
"no problem, I will go to my parent's farm with my mother."
At the weekend, I went to Mikey's place, nothing changed in the streets or even his house. Lisa opened the door and I found that I arrived early, no one was there.
Mikey said while he was smiling and shaking hands "it have been a long time dude"
"yes, I really missed our old days"
"me too, So how is your life?"
"I have nothing much to say"
Suddenly I found that Mikey is acting very friendly with Lisa! So I said "Lisa told me that you are getting married to your new girlfriend!"
He laughed "really, and she didn't tell you who she is?"
I said blankly "No!"
Lisa laughed and said to Mikey "come on stop playing with words?"
"you Lizy are the beginner!"
"come on, tell him Mikey."
"ok...I am sorry George, but I took your ex"
"Lisa!"
Lisa said in a very snobby way "Is it hard to believe!"
I couldn't speak because the bell rang and it was the rest of our friends. We spent the whole day speaking about what we did the last two years, they all were envious because I always had a bright future. However, they never knew how miserable I was.
After that day, I decided to go and do what I always wanted to do. The next morning, I went to the Aviation College, and I joined it. I attended my first lecture at the begging of October. Two years passed and finally I became an official pilot.
Few days later, I went to my father in his office and told him that I was leaving leave, he couldn't understand, so he said blankly "Leave, why! and where!"
"I became a pilot, I always wanted to fly"
He replied angrily "What? Maybe I let you get your old poor friends back but I won't let you destroy your career."
Suddenly the conversation changed to be between two crazy devils
"My friends! you were spying on me!"
"That is not the point George!"
"No it is, you were always choosing everything for me, you never let me do anything I want, even my friends.. and my wife, my own wife for God's sake."
I left but he came after me saying "I won't let you destroy your life."
I stopped and went close to him "I'm trying to make it better dad...your company, money, life were always your priorities, but for me..my dreams are my priority. You used to hate your father because of his interference in your life, but look at you now, you are just like him!"
Suddenly he slapped me, and all the employees were shocked, I left with no words. I packed my bag and Emilly panicked, she kept crying and begging me to stay! I never saw her like that before in my life, she was always just like zombies!
I looked her in the eyes and said in a very calm voice "Em, I need to leave! I'm sorry, I know that you never loved me, you will find someone better than me."
She kept crying and saying "don't leave please..I love you George."
"For God's sake Em, why you are lying!"
I didn't know why she was acting like a crazy lover! However, I left for my first flight.
I went to a lot of countries; Morocco, Egypt, Lebanon, France, England, China and Austria. I also kept in touch with my friends, Lisa delayed her wedding without any excuse, she told Mikey that she needs more time to think about it!
In Austria I meet Jasson, Emiley's cousin. He was very angry when he saw me that he was going to hit me.
"you jackass left Emilly with no excuse! I thought you understand what she was going through, I used to respect you!"
"What do you mean what she was going through!"
"Oh really! pretend as if you don't know"
"know what!"
"Em was diagnosed with brain Cancer after five months from the wedding. She got better but then the cancer showed up again after you left and when she needed you the most."
I was blank, I left him with no words, I kept walking on the streets with no specific destination, tears filled my eyes and I kept talking to myself "That's why she never wanted kids, and I thought that she never loved me, I even thought that she might have been cheating on me! why she didn't tell me..Oh my God! that's why she was crying hard and begging me to stay."
Then I said with a loud voice "She loves me then!" Suddenly I heard someone saying "of course she does" I looked behind me it was her cousin again, he said:
"I was following you, I felt that you didn't know, so I called your mother in law! Sorry George, I thought that you..."
I didn't let him finish his talking and I said "So why she didn't tell me!"
"Em loved you since you were kids, you maybe don't remember, but Em and her family used to visit your family at your farm..They stopped these visits when she was ten because they went to China because of her father's work, but she kept watching your pictures, and asking her father about you, she even made visiting you her priority when they came to USA. I thought she might forget you but she kept loving you until they came back. She was pleased about your proposal, but five months before the wedding, she found that she is having Cancer! She didn't tell anyone, even you because she was afraid of losing you."
" sorry Jasson, I just need a minute, I want to call her."
"ok, sure."
I called her and I didn't let her speak and I said in a romantic voice "Hi you zomby lady, I want to have a chocolate fountain."
Suddenly I heard a weeping voice saying "Emilly is in hospital."
I went to the airport immediately to take any plane going to my dying Zomby but I didn't find any seats, so I took a private plane.
After a few hours I was in USA, I went to the hospital, and I found that she collapsed. Her doctor told me that she collapsed because of her psychological state, he told me that she wasn't in danger because the cancer was in the first stage when they first diagnosed it. However, the cancer came back after two years. So I decided to do anything to save my zomby.
In the morning when she woke up, she found her room filled with pictures of flowers and a huge chocolate fountain.
I was sleeping beside her on the couch, and when I felt that she woke up I opened my eyes, I found her looking at me with great love, that I never recognized.
"Hi honey, sorry I couldn't bring real flowers or fountain because your doctor won't allow me."
she laughed and said in a very weak voice "it is ok, you are enough for me."
"you should be strong Em, at least for the chocolate fountain that I bought for our home."
she said cheerfully "you really bought it for me"
I smiled softly and said while I was kissing her hands "I know it came after three years of your request, but please forgive me."
She smiled and held my hands, then she looked at the wedding ring and she seemed pleased that I didn't remove it.
I went to see her doctor to see how she is doing in her therapy.
"Look Mr. Mantgomery, Emilly was doing great the last two years, actually she was healed, totally healed from the brain Cancer but suddenly she had a drop, I think this drop happened after that rumor!"
"what rumor!"
"you know those gossip meetings and hypocrite women in the associations that your wife used to attend! She heard from them that you will give her a divorce because you want to get back to your old love."
I was puzzled from his words, however I didn't believe him, because I didn't see Lisa from a long time, besides she is getting married to Mikey!
Emilly got better after a while and I took her home. She was pleased about the new decoration that I did for her, I put flowers everywhere, besides our wedding pictures, and of course the chocolate fountain.
"Wow George, you changed a lot...George! have you ever loved me?"
"Em, I won't get married to a girl that I don't love."
"But I never felt that you do!"
"you remember that day when we were at the boat house, I guess we were twelve!"
"yes, of course I do"
"that day we had our first kiss."
she was puzzled "Wow, you remember that!"
"of course I do, I liked you Em."
"yes but I was the one who told you to kiss me"
I laughed "If you didn't ask, I was going to do it in anyway. You know Em, the problem when we get married was, I felt that it wasn't you! You were cold. So I became cold too. We never talked from heart to heart... Actually, there is something I never told anyone about."
"what is it?"
"The day when I left Lisa, it was the same day when I saw you at the tea party. It was the first time I saw you after a long time. After I danced with you, I felt that you are the one. The problem Em was that my father didn't let me propose, he made me! that's why I was always angry with him because I felt that he made me to do this. But actually he didn't.. I always had the choice."
"Wow, I can't believe it. I thought that I was invisible for you, and it was one sided love." she smiled and crossed my hand and said with a low voice "I will never let you go."
"Me too." I suddenly remembered something I wanted to ask Emilly about so I looked seriously to her and said "Em I was going to forget.. tell me how you took the therapy without my notice!"
" don't you remember when I went to my parent's farm with my mother! That day when you refused to go with me to Hawaii. My mother prepared everything in the farm and I went there for the therapy. I just wanted to spend few days with you before this, but you had more important planes."
"I was stupid honey.. you are married to a totally jackass."
we laughed then I said with a surprise
"Oh ..that's why you spent months there and when you returned you looked very tired and sick. What about your hair! Oh, your hats!" I laughed and continued "Wow my wife is very smart"
"Actually those hats were my sister's idea, but then I began to wear wigs. You were too busy, that you didn't recognize all those things."
"Yes, we didn't even speak! I don't know why!"
"It is ok, we will have a happy long life together."
we spent two days happily until I found an unexpected visitor in the garden! It was Lisa!
"Hi George!" she was coming near to me to kiss me but I stepped back, so she was embarrassed and sat down.
"Lisa! is everything alright?"
"I left Mikey."
I was astonished "What! but why?"
"I thought you will be happy!"
"Liz, why you came?"
"I didn't hear from you from a long time! and you don't get my calls."
"because I am busy."
"I thought you came back for me."
"what! No...Liz please don't misunderstand me"
she began to weep "misunderstand what George? Don't you lie to me and say you didn't get upset when you knew that I was Mikey's girlfriend?"
"well, I won't lie, I was astonished because I know Mikey is not your type, that's all!"
"Really! and you didn't miss our days!"
"Liz, I had troubles with my wife and my father, so maybe I felt that I miss you for that reason, but this was not real.. I love my wife."
She was puzzled, she walked to the door with no words, then she said "you promised me before that you will always love me and come back for me even if a million year passed, even if the world's oceans were between us...Even if you left me forever, I will always be inside you! remember my words."
I said nothing, but I began to remember this promise! and I said to myself "people change! Sorry Liz."
she left and she was walking like a blind and deaf person. I kept watching her walking and suddenly I saw a crazy driver coming fast while she was crossing the street, So I ran to her. I heard Emilly screaming "George, watch out!"
Suddenly, I opened my eyes, I found lights in front of my eyes, I heard a lot of voices, and I saw medical equipments getting through my body!
"Am I dead!"
I heard someone saying "he woke up doc."
another one said "Give him more anesthesia."
I said to myself "well I guess am not dead yet!"
I opened my eyes again after a while, this time I saw Emilly beside me, she looked different, I saw my parents, and all my old friends, but why everyone looks different! they all looked a little bit old!
Emilly said while she was weeping "George! can you hear me?"
suddenly I found the doctor come slowly to flash light in my eyes, I saw everyone was walking slowly. After a while I began to come to normal, I saw Emilly coming to sit beside me carrying a five years old girl!
"George! Look this is Lisa!"
I began to panic, I said in weak voice "Lisa who?"
"your daughter!"
"what! I never had one! How much time did I sleep!"
My father came close to me and said softly "George, you had an accident five years ago!"
"Oh my God! Lisa! is she...?"
I saw tears in Mikey's eyes, and Emilly said in sad voice "Lisa was clinically dead but her heart wasn't damaged, but you had a problem in yours, so they did a heart transplant...you are having Lisa's heart now George."
Now I began to understand why my daughter's name is Lisa!
Emilly said to me in low voice "I told you that we will have a long happy life."
my father said "Emilly effort to make Lisa's parents accept this heart transplant."
Now I remembered Lisa's words when she said "I will always be inside you."
After few days, I got out of the hospital, I asked Emilly to take me to Lisa's grave.
I kneeled and said with a weak voice "You always loved me, even in your death! you didn't let me die! I'm sorry Liz, I knew that I caused a lot of pain to you. Don't worry, your heart will live a long cheerful life. I promise. This time I will keep my promise Liz."
Lisa's heart kept beating until I reached 87, I had a cheerful life as I promised, I saw my children and grandchildren growing up. I even saw my elder grandchild marriage.
Emilly was known among our grandchildren with "the Zomby grandma!" while I was known with "the walking dead grandpa!"
We could live in someone's else body or memory, just if we had a kind heart.
_______________________________The End____________________
Shereen Nabil Nagib Ramadan
Egypt-cairo
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