Return from Voyage

Part 3

"Your... your husband." 

"I didn't think you were coming back, Andreas. I thought you were gone..." I muttered, my heart still beating miles a minute.

Andreas paused for a moment, "It's okay, Julianna, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm here now, and I'm never leaving your side again. Please know I would never have left you intentionally, never. I love you, Julianna, I love you so much."

And with that, I leapt back into his arms and sobbed once more. He held me in his strong build as I felt as if I was melting into him, once again becoming whole after finding my other half. The world seemed light once more.

"But Andreas," I eventually muttered under my breath, "what will we do about James? He's a good man, really, he's done so much for me this past year. He loves me so deeply..."

"If he truly loves you, he will understand."

And with that, I heard the front door unlatch and James walk into the apartment. I stood.

"Julianna, are you feeling better? I forgot something in my office for a meeting this morning, I'm just grabbing it and then I'll be on my way again."

He was acting so normal, had he not even noticed my long-lost love sitting on the chesterfield?

"James... we need to talk about something." I gestured behind me to Andreas, "As you can see, I was awoken by quite a shock this morning. Andreas, he was sick all this time you see, and he couldn't remember who he was, or where he belonged. But he has returned, and..."

"Pardon?" James asked with a puzzled expression, "Julianna, dear, are you feeling alright?"

"Well, yes... I just thought we should all address what this will look like moving forward..."

James walked to me, slowly, and took my hands gently in his, "I've done all I can for you up until this point, Julianna, but I think you should talk to someone now. A professional. Clearly there is still unresolved trauma with Andreas not returning after the accident and..."

I pulled away, "James? Are you ill? Andreas is sitting right here! He's come back, don't you see? Andreas? Speak to him, please."

Andreas rose, "Julianna, he doesn't understand. He's hurt, and he's choosing not to see..."

I turned back to James, "Is that true, James?"

"Is what true, Julianna? I don't understand. There's no one here besides us. I think you should sit down."

"No!", I was getting furious now. How dare he try to make me feel like a fool? "I think you should sit down, James. You're acting mad. I thought if you truly loved me you would understand, but clearly, I was wrong. I'll leave you now with your thoughts, we both will."

I motioned to Andreas to follow as I waltzed to the door and grabbed my coat. 

"Julianna!" James took hold of my arm, "You can't leave like this, please!"

I pulled away. "I'm leaving. We're leaving." And with that I slammed the door in his face as Andreas and I made our way to the busy New York City streets. "He's mad, isn't it?"

"It doesn't matter, Julianna, you did your best." He took my hand, "All that matters is that we're together now and nothing will ever bring us apart again."

I smiled, a genuine, toothy smile. Andreas was right, we were together again and that's all that mattered. We'll start a new life. I'll go back and work at the paper and Andreas can be a labourer. Or maybe we'll leave the city entirely. We'll find a quaint place to live and grow our family. We don't need much, so long as we have each other. Everything was going to be okay.

I was pulled suddenly from my giddy trance by the sounds of sirens as a police officer pulled up next to us. 

"Julianna Gastrell?" The officer spoke, "I'm officer Deighton. Your husband, Mr. Gastrell, called us to check in on you. He said you left your apartment after some hallucinations and that you shouldn't be alone at the moment. Mrs. Gastrell, if you could kindly come with me..."

My mind was whirring in fury. How could this possibly be happening? Could nobody just allow us to be happy?

"No!" I exclaimed, "I am not hallucinating, James is the one hallucinating! He cannot stand the truth. If you could kindly leave us be and let us be on our way."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Mrs. Gastrell... I'll need you to come with me now." 

With that, he reached out to take my arm and I bolted. Andreas and I ran down the busy street, as fast as we could. Past pedestrians, bicycles, vendors and vehicles. We didn't stop no matter how much I could hear the officer calling my name in the distance. They were mad, they all were! We ran and ran until we could no longer hear the officer calling, and we jumped into the back of a taxicab.

"Where should we go?" Andreas asked.

"Away," I said, "far away."