Reasons For Love

DAYLIGHT

The river hits the stones leaving a dry noise everywhere, people come and go in an endless pace throughout the city, the cold wind and the echoes of the cars do not leave that part of the Earth in peace that with its wind He takes the leaves from the trees dragging them throughout the city until they fall on the feet of Hayden who is leaning on the handrail looking at the Brooklyn Bridge. So large and imposing that it accompanies the city of New York along with its immense buildings.

He looks out over the river which moves calmly before the faint tranquility drawn around him. Hayden's thoughts are already there, moving with the cold water that he carries and brings as many boats as he can. The wind ruffles his hair, and tries to blow him away with strong gusts but Hayden is just standing there. He just watches, listens to the people passing behind him, listens to his footsteps, their laughter and his jokes, listens to the cars who come and go, making noise in the silence of nature.

—I knew you'd be here—Victoria's calm and seductive voice interrupts him, diverts him from his thoughts.

—You know me well— He walks to where she is standing, with her hands kept in her jacket she watches him approach, he looks so calm but his eyes say something else. Victoria takes a seat on the cold bench, crossing her legs and leaving her bag aside while she watches Hayden.

—You always come here when you take up your space— She gives him some space to sit as he sits close to her.

—Yes, well, after today's afternoon I needed it, I didn't think it would be so difficult to see them—.

Victoria takes a breath moving her hands on her knees, purses her lips holding her gaze straight ahead without seeing Hayden.

—But they are our friends, you haven't seen them since...— Pause, she holds her words in her mouth, wanting to say the right words.

—I know, Victoria! I haven't seen them since my retirement, I don't see anyone from our old social group but you—.

—I don't understand Hayden. Before you loved going out with them, you enjoyed those luxuries. And now? They are our friends—Victoria raises her voice, she is not trying to be the same sweet girl, she is fed up with Hayden's closed attitude.

—THEY ARE YOUR FRIENDS NOT MINE! YOU DO NOT GET IT?! IT'S YOUR LIFE NOT MINE!—.

A frightened Victoria holds on to the bench, trembling. She has never seen Hayden like this, not since his injury and his premature retirement. She lets out tears but defends herself, wants to ignore her broken voice and regains her composure.

—My life? My friends? Hayden, this was our life, you loved all of this. Go to eat at expensive places, go out with stars, hang out with people of high prestige. Together we did all this, this is our life—.

—You said it yourself, it was, past tense. It's not my life anymore, it's yours—.

—What do you mean by that?— Victoria feels a pang in her heart, she tries not to cry, she can't imagine the words that are going to come out of her mouth, she draws strength from wherever she can to not collapse, she fears for his words.

—It's not my life anymore, I no longer belong to your social group or those kinds of meetings, I no longer belong to this. I'm not who I once was, that Hayden is already in the past. All this is yours, it's not mine. I'm no longer that brilliant young man that everyone was in love with and everyone wanted to be his friend. Now I am just an ordinary person who gets up day after day to do his work and in the end only comes home to sleep to repeat the same routine wondering: When is this going to get better? I've already been forgotten, Victoria, this is no longer my thing—.

Behind every look there is always something, there are always things that a person keeps deep in their heart, a wound that will never close until the time comes to face it. When is the time to do it? Many are left alone, they keep their feelings, their experiences to themselves, believing they can fight it on their own but that is not the case, every person in this world at least once in their life needed to be heard. No one has the time to listen, no one has the patience or decency to take a minute and help someone. Do you know how many people can be saved just by sitting next to them and telling them that this is not the end of the world? Small actions occasionally have big results.

Victoria observes him, since his premature retirement she knew that something inside Hayden broke, his bright and happy eyes were gone, his facial expression faded and he stopped fighting, she noticed it from the beginning but she thought it was all temporary, she He could confirm when he saw Hayden laugh, when he noticed that he was returning to being happy again, he never thought that behind all that Hayden's strongest pain was hidden. He understands everything, she was not there when Hayden needed her, when he fell, Victoria dropped him, for a long time she thought that he would get out of all this alone, that Adriana and Andrew's help would be enough, that's why at first she let him go. to Oregon, she was wrong, she could have had them with her if only she had paid more attention to Hayden.

—Hayden... No... I didn't mean to— She huffs, putting her hand on his shoulder, approaching him. Her hand touches Hayden's chin, his beard is barely coming back and it feels rough to her. She lifts his face and caresses him. There are no words, only a silence that accompanies them next to the big city.

—I know it wasn't, I should have told you this a while ago, as well as I should have told you something else and I think it's the right time—.

Victoria takes Hayden's hand, looks into his eyes as she always does, he is the only person she can see with true love.

—You can tell me whatever you want— She answers.

—I met a girl, she's really beautiful, her name is Caitlyn— He takes out a photo from his wallet, which is next to a photo of Victoria with Caroline. That he already has it in her wallet means that for him there is true love, but he doesn't know if Caitlyn is going to give him a second chance.

She takes the photo still shocked, she is not angry or furious, she is just still trying to digest the news, she just told him without further ado. Her heart breaks, she believed in a second chance between the two of them, it has been years since they broke up and yet they lived as if they were still boyfriends or even husbands, she sees him as the father of her daughter. Is he? However, despite her small tears she maintains the stance, she looks at Hayden after seeing the photo and smiles at him.

—She's beautiful, I think you really love redheads with green eyes— She laughs pulling away her tears, her eyes sink in sadness. Her face betrays her, it drowns her crying, it drowns her emotions —She is very beautiful, I wish you the best with her, you really deserve the best in your life—.

Hayden puts his arm around Victoria's shoulders, lays her on his chest and hugs her, giving her a kiss on the head while Victoria tries to fight not to cry, she loves those hugs full of affection, she loves having Hayden to herself but she could wait, he had years to ask if there was an opportunity, he let time go by and now there is someone else.

—Nothing is going to change between us, you and Caroline are still my girls and I will always take care of them, I carry them both in me. One day I promised to be with you forever and I plan to keep my promise. I know that now with someone else in my life it's complicated, but you know me, I'm stubborn—.

—Hayden, I don't want to cause you problems, we both knew this would happen. I don't want you to break up with her because of me or Caroline—.

—I'll talk to Caitlyn, I'll tell her everything, I promise you that everything will stay the same—.

They observe the imposing Moon while the breeze hits them, shakes their hairstyles and now gives it an aura of tranquility, the two took out everything they kept or a large part of it, there is still a lot with which they must work, time will now be their ally, They both must improve, not forget their past, no, they must keep it with them, they are moments that marked their lives, moments that guided them to this moment. Keep your memories, keep your dreams and hopes and teach yourself to miss each other in the now, not for a past.

—Hey, what about the babysitter and Caroline?—.

—Oh fuck!—.