THE HONOURABLE MAN

Episode 39

Bryce is in a happy mood and ever smiling throughout the rest of his day, he had the best night of his life with the only woman he has ever truly loved. The thought of Harkins ever touching Kiana again doesn’t sit well with him, he needs to make sure her body is reserved only for him.

Kiana is feeling guilty at the same time she cannot deny how amazing it felt to make love to Bryce again. It was intimate and it felt like their bodies and souls were blending into one, the feeling was incredibly overwhelming, she knows she wants to feel that way again and again.

Only Bryce makes her feel complete, happy and alive. She understands that she has to end things with Harkins no matter how hard it will be. She convinces herself that he deserves better than marrying a woman who is in love with another man. The right thing to do when you love someone is to let him go and not rob him of the opportunity of finding someone who can fall madly in love with him just as much as he will be in love with her.

She doesn’t notify Bryce of what she has decided, she will only tell him once it’s done. She plans a romantic night picnic at a quiet private park. Harkins is pleased and relieved, for days he has been worrying about his relationship with her, fearing she had become a distant stranger. He believes the romantic picnic is her way of mending things and getting their relationship back on track. Noticing his excitement, she begins to think the picnic was a bad idea as it is giving Harkins the wrong impression.

They sit down on the soft comfortable picnic cushions and pour wine into their glasses, decorative lanterns are placed around their mat to provide light. Harkins helps himself to his favourite seedless black grapes. “So tell me, what did I do to deserve such a treat?” “You have always been amazing from the moment I met you,” she smiles as she remembers all the sweet memories they have created together.

“Kiana lately I have been feeling like you are pulling away from me, I don’t even remember when was the last time we made love, if this is your way of giving your heart back to me then I accept and hopefully we can set a wedding date and start planning our wedding, don’t you think we have been engaged for way too long?”

“Yeah I agree it’s been too long but….” “Ah ah no buts,” he cuts her off and reaches for her hand to kiss it passionately. “What do you think of a December wedding, we can have white and red as our colours, wouldn’t it be nice to have a Christmas wedding? Just imagine a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and…..” “Just stop right there! I can’t marry you Remy!” she blurts. “What are you talking about?” he questions with bewilderment.

She is not sure of what to say next, this isn’t how she planned to end things with him. “Did I do anything wrong? Sweetheart I am so sorry if you feel like I’m rushing you it’s just that I cannot wait to have you as my wife. I’m also tired of living alone I respected your decision of not wanting to move in with me until we are married but I wasn’t expecting us to be engaged for this long, please forgive me,” he pleads as he kneels in front of her.

Kiana starts to cry, this is harder than she expected but she knows she has to let him go and the sooner the better. “I said I’m sorry babe now please stop crying, I didn’t mean to ruin this romantic picnic., “Remy the reason I brought you here was to let you know how much I love and care about you and how I appreciate everything you have done for me and all you have been to me. I want you to be happy and get the best that you deserve,” “and you are the best thing for me Kiana.”

“No! No I am not,” “please stop saying that I wish you could see yourself the way that I see you.” “I slept with another man,” she blurts. The pained look on his face makes her regret ever confessing, he turns away from her and rests his hand on his waist with the other hand leaning against the tree as if for balance to stop him from falling to the ground. “I am so sorry Remy I never meant for the truth to come out this way.”

“For how long has this been going on?” He asks with his back still facing her, he cannot bring himself to look at her and he doesn’t want her to see how hard he is trying to fight off his tears. “It was just once,” she answers honestly. After a few minutes of silence, he turns around and looks at her tearful face and he takes hold of her hands.

“Kiana as much as this hurts me to the core I love you and I choose to forgive you. Who am I not to forgive? You are a good decent woman so I’m sure there is a good reason why you cheated.” “Remy,” she utters softly “No please let me finish,” “okay go ahead.” “I won’t lie I never expected such from you and it will take me time to put this behind me and learn to trust you again.”

“Remy what you don’t understand is I am in love with him and I just can’t fight it anymore in fact I have never stopped loving him he is my very first love.” “What are you talking about, is this someone from your past?” “Yes and you know him, his name is Bryce Adams he was your patient at the Rehab centre.” Remy is astounded, he paces around with both hands resting on his waist,

“Of course it all makes sense now, you have been distant ever since the Rehab event and I remember how stunned you were when you heard the name Bryce Adams and ooh yes now a lot of things are making sense. You went up the stage to give your speech that’s when Bryce saw you and I guess that’s what made him faint,” he ponders.

“Remy listen I never intended for any of this to happen, I have never told you about Bryce or what happened between us,” “yeah you didn’t but he did,” “He did?” her eyes widen with surprise. “Yes he did, he just never mentioned your name.” He pauses and then continues, “I really hate to say this but Bryce seems like a good man and from what he told me he never stopped loving you and it seems like the love you shared is a rare special kind of love.”

“Remy what are you saying?” “I am saying I forgive you and I understand, Kiana I love you so much I just want you to be happy even if it’s not with me. Maybe I was brought into your life to lead you back to Bryce but I am happy I got to know you and I’m very grateful for the times we spent together and I will forever cherish them.”

“Awww Remy, I feel so bad and I don’t know what to say but thank you so much,” She hugs him. “You don’t have to feel bad, you are doing the right thing for both of us by following your heart. Can I kiss you, one last time?” He requests.

She responds by leaning forward and capturing his lips and they share a heart-felt emotional goodbye kiss.